Running for Far Too Long
by Zane's Girl- Jo
Summary: What if Jo managed to be sent back to her timeline? But would it really be her timeline? Or someone else's? Post Season 4, episode 15.
1. Chapter 1

**Running for Far Too Long**

**R****ifiuto: Non Miriena**

**Summary: What if Jo managed to be sent back to her timeline? But would it really be _her_ timeline? Or someone else's? Post Season 4, episode 15.**

"Are you sure you want to do this, Jo? What if something goes wrong?" She looked up. Henry, Allison, Fargo and Grace stopped their conversation to watch the pair. She looked around.

"Yeah. I have nothing here, Carter."

"That's not-"

"Sure, I'm Head of Security, but the _one_ person that matters most to me, that I should be spending the rest of my life with, building a home with, creating babies with... he's gone. _He's_ dead, and he's_ never_ coming back. Not to mention that everyone I love is mad at me." She glanced towards Zoe, who sat on the steps leading down into her office.

"Zoe knows about the alternate time-" Carter started.

"I'm not mad at you, Jo. Not anymore. It's been weeks, can't you just let it go?" Zoe cut in. Jo turned to her.

"I have, Zo, but I'm not happy here. I don't know if I can ever be."

"But you and Zane-"

_"Aren't_ together." Jo cut in.

"But you've been seeing each other-"

"Lust, Zoe. That's all it's been. I don't... I can't... I can't love him, not like I love _my_ Zane." She said, looking down at the now empty chain around her neck. It was like a noose, tightening with each day that passed in this new timeline.

"Why not?" The others turned; Zane stood in the doorway, hands in his pockets. "Is it because I'm not him, because I don't remember you, or because you're scared?" Jo swallowed. She took a deep breath, unsure of what to say.

"I... it's not that, Zane..."

"Then _what_ is it, Jo?" He moved down the steps towards her. She longed to reach out to him but stopped herself, instead going to her desk and taking a seat. The further away from him, the safer she was.

"It... it's complicated, Zane."

"Then explain it to me." She looked up, he leaned against her desk, his blue eyes boring into hers. "I'm a genius, I can figure it out. Come on, Jojo, give me the variables."

_"Don't call me that_." She growled, pulling away and sitting back in her chair, turning towards her laptop. She could hear the soft murmurings of the others, could feel Zane's eyes on her, even as she struggled to remain in control. She wouldn't let them see her cry.

_"Come on, Jo, explain it to me!"_ When she looked up next, Zane had moved around her desk, turned her to face him, and knelt before her, looking into her eyes. _"Damn it, Jo, talk to me!"_ He grabbed her face, crushing the tears on her cheeks. Carter went to the younger man, laying a hand on his shoulder.

"Zane," The young psychist turned to glance at him. Carter shook his head. "Give her space." After a moment, he stood, backing away from the Head of Security. Moments of tension passed, as Jo struggled to contain her tears, and the others waited, letting her have her moment of lost control. When she finally turned back to them, she'd let the mask drop, appearing to be- once again- in complete control of the situation.

"Well, Henry?" The older man sighed.

"I've been... Grace and I have been working on the bridge device. Whenever you're ready, Jo." He told her; she nodded, getting up.

"Good. I'm ready now, if you don't mind." She moved around her desk, brushing past Zane and going to the door. She turned back to them. "Are you coming or not?"

Thirty minutes later, the small group stood in Henry's garage, surrounding Jo and the bridge device that had caused them so much trouble to begin with. Jo stood by herself, fiddling with the chain around her neck, lost in her own thoughts.

"Are you _sure_ you want to do this?" Carter asked again. A small part of him hoped she'd changed her mind. She looked up at him.

"Yes. I've never been more sure about anything in my entire life."

"So, you're what? Just going to go off and leave us without a goodbye?" He asked, going to her, hands in his pockets. She scoffed gently and let him wrap her in a hug. He pressed a kiss to her hair, rubbing her back.

He wouldn't cry.

Not until he was well within SARAH's walls.

He wouldn't let her see how her departure affected him. The others watched as Jack held his daughter- the entire town, old timeline or new, knew that Josefina Lupo had become Jack's daughter, short of adoption. Carter looked out for her, protected her, and- after coming to this new time- rarely let her out of his sight. He loved her, saw her as part of his family; now, the very real fact that he was_ losing_ her...

Worse than death itself.

Short of her being ripped from his arms unwillingly, her voluntarily leaving to return to her time- their time- was killing him.

She pulled away, taking a deep breath. "I... I was always better with weapons than words." She looked up at him. "When... when you first came to Eureka, Carter, you were... smug and self-centered and... a really,_ really crappy_ boss-"

"You _are_ really bad with goodbyes." He whispered. She chuckled softly.

"But you found your place here, you all did, and... and now... you're making these... _families_-"

"And I consider you a _part_ of my family, Jo. We all do."

"I know. But... I _need_... to go back. To _my_ time. This is_ your_ time now. It was never mine." She went to each in turn, hugging and whispering softly to them. When she got to Zane, she let him wrap her in a hug, accepted his kiss, and quickly pulled away, going to Henry. Carter grabbed her arm. She turned back to him, giving him a small smile, before letting him hug her tight. He buried his face in her hair, breathing in her scent.

"Let us know you got there safe." He joked softly. She chuckled.

"I will." She whispered, playing along. She reached up, tangling her fingers in his hair, committing him to memory as best she could. Who knew if he'd be the same when she returned to her time. Carter pressed his lips to her temple.

"I love you, Jo." She pulled away, giving him a small smile as she reached up to wipe a tear away. Then, she pressed a kiss to his cheek before pulling away. She went to Henry, taking the PDA he'd rigged to work with the device. She looked back at them as the device whirled to life.

"I'll be seein' ya, Carter." She whispered, waving in that two-fingered way she had. Then, she took a deep breath, closing her eyes as she turned the PDA on. A flash of light appeared, a pulse whipped through the garage, and moments passed, before the device turned off. When everyone looked up, Carter finally let the tears fall.

"She's gone."


	2. Chapter 2

**R****ifiuto: Non Miriena (****Disclaimer: Not Mine)**

**A/N: This idea's been running around in my head for far too long (Ha, ha, play on words. Sorry...) Why I decided to write it now, I have no clue. **

**Basically: ****What would have happened if Jo returned to the 'original' timeline? **

**Would it still be the same? **

**Or would things change? **

She rolled over, groaning softly.

Headache didn't even_ begin_ to describe the throbbing in her head. Migraine was more accurate. Her hand hit the side of the bed, and after a moment, she forced her eyes open. She was in bed, in her room, in her house.

_Her_ house.

She sat up- too quickly for her head's liking- and sat for several minutes as she attempted to get her bearings. She climbed to her feet and took a deep breath, puffing out her cheeks. Her body screamed in protest, and she put her hands on her hips. Her body was throbbing in pain, and blindly, she searched for her robe, eventually pulling it on. She slipped out of the bedroom, but not before catching sight of the familiar brown leather jacket tossed over a chair. She ran her fingers over it, her heart skipping a beat at the creamy leather beneath her fingers.

She_ knew_ this jacket.

His mother had gotten it for him when he was fourteen- it had been the constant in their tug-of-wars over the two years they were together. She loved the jacket, though not as much as its owner. Seeing and feeling it only renewed the hope that she'd returned to her time.

She rushed downstairs, her muscles screaming in protest. She looked around; she was definately in her house. Noise coming from the kitchen drew her attention, and she softly padded towards the sound. Someone was in her house.

Burglar?

No, the noise sounded... calm, synced. Almost like the person had been in her kitchen before. As she rounded the corner, she stopped.

_He_ stood with his back to her, his attention focused on the stove. She could hear him humming something, and saw the water as he shook his head. He'd just taken a shower, probably after going for his jog. Her heart pounded in her ears, and she felt as though she couldn't catch a breath. He was here. In her kitchen.

It was... him.

Obviously, he'd been worried about her when he didn't see her at the dance, and had come here to wait for her. But had he been here for a few days? Or six months? She'd been gone six months; that would have been enough time for him to become familiar with her house, and develop his own routines.

But at that moment, it didn't matter. The only thing that mattered, was that she was home, and he was here.

Struggling to supress the giggle of excitment working its way up her throat, she rushed to him, abandoning her plan of attack. Her only focus now was to throw herself into his arms, tell him she loved him, and that she'd marry him. That she wanted to spend the rest of her life with him, make a life and a future with him, that she wanted to grow old with him and make babies with him. So many babies that she'd lose count. So many babies they'd have their own pro baseball team.

That she wanted forever with him.

Once she was within hitting distance, she reached out, ghosting her hands along his waist. He didn't noticed, so focused was he. She bit her lip, stepping closer and running her hands up his back. He ignored her.

Strange.

Normally, if she did that, he'd turn and take her in his arms, kiss her passionately until she couldn't see, and then make love to her then and there. The fact that he wasn't responding to her just made her fear return full force. Taking a deep breath, she wrapped her arms around his waist, whispering,

"I've got a welcome home present for you."

He ignored her. For a moment, the way he acted after returning from the Arctic launched itself into her head, and she pulled away, shaking. She took a deep breath, praying that something like that hadn't happened again.

_Please, don't let it be ice crystals. Please, don't let it be ice crystals!_

And then he turned around.

He jumped, letting out a cry of surprise as he nearly slammed into her, and she shrieked, jumping back. The plate he held shattered on the floor, whatever he'd been cooking now residing at their feet. She grabbed the stitch in her chest and took a deep, gasping breath as he closed his eyes briefly. Then, she watched as he yanked the headphones from his ears.

"_Jesus Jo, don't do that!_ Were you _trying_ to give me a heart attack?" Her dark eyes darted between the headphones dangling around his neck and his face.

Suddenly, it made sense. He didn't hear her, didn't respond, because he'd been listening to music. "S... sorry. I... I thought you heard me."

He chuckled softly. "No, I didn't." He glanced down. "And... there goes breakfast."

"Don't worry Zane, I've got it." He glanced towards the ceiling, and Jo watched as the food disappeared into the floor.

"Thank you, AIDA." Jo looked up at him.

"Who?" She whispered. He looked at her, his blue eyes full of concern. After a moment, she launched herself at him, latching onto his lips, and pouring her heart and soul into her kiss. He accepted it for several minutes before pulling away and looking at her.

"Are you okay?" He took her arm, guiding her into the dining room and sitting her down before sitting beside her.

"I'm fine, babe, why?" She asked, reaching for him. He took her hand, kissing her knuckles.

"I just... I didn't want you to hurt yourself, that's all."

"Why would I hurt myself?" She cocked her head to the side before climbing into his lap. "I feel fine. Why shouldn't I be?" She stared at him, before trailing her hands down his chest, her fingers finding his belt buckle. She gave him a mischevious smile as she unbuckled his belt and-

He grabbed her hand, pulling her away. He let out a soft, strained laugh, shaking his head. "I don't think so, babe."

"Why not? I want to make love to you. Wild, passionate, erotic love to you." She whispered, kissing him, but he firmly pushed her away, staring into her eyes. "Zane, did I do something wrong?"

"Of course not, why?"

"Because you're acting like you've crawled into enemy territory, and you're gonna be captured and killed at any moment." He scoffed gently.

"I just might, if Allison finds out."

"Finds out what?" She asked, brow furrowed. He looked up at her.

"That we've been engaging in armorous activity when she hasn't cleared you." He said, gently helping her to her feet and getting up. He went into the kitchen and poured two cups of coffee, handing one to Jo.

"Cleared me for what?" Jo asked, accepting the cup. Zane took a sip of his, watching her.

"Activity of any kind right now." He replied, watching her strangely. She scoffed gently, utterly confused now. She knew Zane liked confusing her with riddles, but this was ridiculous.

"Why would I need to be cleared?" He raised an eyebrow, staring at her as if she'd lost her mind completely.

"Because of the baby."


	3. Chapter 3

**R****ifiuto: Non Miriena***

******A/N: An * indicates a chapter in the original alternate timeline. ****Every so often, there will be a chapter thrown in from the original alternate timeline... And here's the start of those interspersed chapters. And a + indicates _an original, pre-1947 timeline_ chapter.**

**Thanks to mondler1998 for reviewing 2 and 3.**

"I can't... I can't believe she's gone." Carter looked up as Allison took his hand. The group sat at their usual table in Cafe Diem the next morning. They'd all forced themselves to sleep on the previous events of the day before, promising to meet up after work to... well, reminensce.

"She wanted to, Jack. She wasn't happy here. I don't think she ever would have been." Allison told him softly.

Zane didn't say anything; he just sat watching the door. Since Jo's departure, the group had banded together. Zane was no longer a threat, nor did he particularly care anymore, whether they were from this time or another one. Before, he'd probably have gone to the D.O.D, or turned them in anonomously, anything to get rid of those he considered a pain. But now, with Jo gone, all he could think to do was keep their secret- more out of some twisted promise to Jo than anything else.

"But... how do we know that she got back to the original timeline? How do we know she didn't... didn't end up in some... some different time, a new one, or... go back to nineteen-forty-seven? How do we know if she's even still _alive_?" Carter asked, looking around at them all. Henry shrugged.

"We don't. And we can't contact her to find out."

"So we just... walk around, pretending that we aren't worried that she's hurt, or captured, or sanctioned or..." He choked on the last word. "Dead."

"Yes." Henry whispered. The others all looked around, lapsing into silence before Fargo asked,

"So... what happens now?" Everyone turned to look at him. "I... I mean to... to her... position? Does someone else fill it or..."

But before he could finish, the door to Cafe Diem opened, and they all turned.

A familiar black ponytail swayed as the person moved towards the counter. She was dressed in a crisp balck pants suit and heels, her normal, professional buisiness attire that she'd taken to wearing since being appointed to GD Security. Vincent handed her her order, and she said something, turning. Quickly, she scanned the cafe, before her eyes landed on her former partner.

She made her way towards their table, stopping next to Carter. She looked around at them all, back straight, chin lifted, dark eyes narrowed as she gazed at each in turn. Her eyes locked on Zane, and she pursed her lips, before turning. She raised an eyebrow.

"Why the long face, Tex?" Carter stared at her, eyes wide in shock.

Five minutes passed.

Ten.

Fifteen.

"Okay, Carter, you're unnerving me. _Say_ _something_."

"I... I just... hi Jo." She raised her eyebrows, concern briefly lighting her dark eyes, until they landed on Zane.

"_Donovan_." She cleared her throat, straightening. Zane didn't respond. "Well, I see the... little band of misfit scientists decided to take your sorry lost cause in." She turned back to Carter and Fargo. "Make sure he doesn't do something stupid, like set those monkeys free again or burn down the town. That little prank on Founders' Day nearly caused a statewide AIDS panic." She turned to go. Carter could see her three friends- Blythe, Hertz and Rowley, if he remembered correctly- waiting by the door for, all dressed in the familiar black powersuits that Jo had taken to wearing. "I'm done keeping an eye on that riff-raff." Then, she followed her friends and left. The group watched her go, before turning their attention back to each other, shocked.

All except for Grace.

"That... that's _this_ timeline's..." Allison stammered.

Zane nodded.

"Yep. She's back." He whispered.


	4. Chapter 4

**R****ifiuto: Non Miriena**

The sound of bombs going off rang in her head. For a moment, she thought she was back in Afghanistan, or running from the Towers as they fell on New York City that fated September morning. Blood rushed through her veins, pounding in her ears, as her heart began to race. She could feel her pulse start to sprint, and she struggled to take a breath.

"B... _what?_ What do you mean... _baby_?" She cried, looking up at him. He watched her calmly.

"I mean our daughter, Brooke. You gave birth to her nearly a week ago, remember?" She shook her head.

"_No! I don't!_ I... I've never given birth! I've never breastfed! I've never even_ held_ a baby except for Jenna- and that's rarely!" She looked up at him, realization dawning. "This is a joke, right? You're gonna play that game, and it's really going to be some elaborate way to propose to me, right? Since I didn't respond last time, this is a way for you to surprise me. Okay, fine. I'll play along. Where is _she_?" She asked after turning around in circles for several minutes. She laid her hands on her hips, watching him. _"I'm waiting, Zane."_

He sighed, setting his cup down and leaving the kitchen. "C'mon."

"Where are you going?" She cried, rushing after him. _"Hey! Zane!"_ He turned on her, clapping a hand over her mouth and holding a finger to his lips.

"Shh. You'll wake her up." She raised her eyebrows, nodding with a sarcastic grin on her face.

_I'll go along with it, Mr. Secretive. _

He sighed, taking her hand, leading her through the house and upstairs. She followed willingly, deciding to play along for his sake. When they reached a door, he pushed it open, glancing behind her before pulling her inside and shutting it softly behind them.

Jo looked around. She stood in a nursery; decked out in lilac and robin's egg blue, with all the things a baby required. And then her eyes landed on a small white bassinet near the window. It reminded her of the bassinet in the attic of her parents' house- she and her older brothers had all used it, a Lupo family tradition that went back to the eighteen-sixties, when the bassinet was built. Zane led her towards it, then gently pulled the blanket down to show her the infant. Then, he pulled away and laid his hands on Jo's shoulders.

"Remember her now?" She shook her head.

The baby was sound asleep, and after a moment, Zane gently scooped her up, cradling the precious bundle in his arms. It amazed her at how tender he was with the baby. Zane had _rarely_ been around Jenna, and when he had, he'd always refrained from touching her- more of a fear of becoming attached then hurting the little girl. So it shocked Jo that he so willingly scooped his own daughter up from the bassinet and cradled her so gently in his arms. Since _when_ did Zane like babies? Or know how to hold them? Or... know anything _about_ them, for that matter? He turned to Jo. "Since you don't remember- Jojo, meet your daughter, Brookelyn."

She leaned close, feeling her breath catch at the sight of the small human being in Zane's arms. "We... we_ created_ her?" She asked, looking up at him. He nodded, as the baby stirred in her father's arms and opened her eyes.

"Yeah, we did." He replied, grinning. Jo stiffled a gasp as she stared into her daughter's blue eyes. They were very much-

"Zane, she... she has your eyes." He chuckled.

"Of course she does. Just like Dylan." She looked up at him.

"Who's Dylan?" He opened his mouth to reply when the door opened.

"Daddy? I'm hungry. Can we have panscapes?" Jo turned, to see a four-year-old little girl in pink and purple camoflauge pajamas shuffle sleepily into the room. Her long black hair was in a messy braid down her back, and she was rubbing the sleep from her eyes. Zane glanced at Jo, before laying the baby in her arms. He helped her support the baby's head, before going to the child and scooping her up.

"Zane, I-" But a soft squeak from the infant in her arms drew her attention back to the bundle. The baby girl watched her with a calm, familiar gaze- a gaze Jo had seen back in Henry's garage before he started the bridge device up again. She swallowed, giving the little girl a small smile. "H... hi Brookelyn. I... I'm your mommy." The baby gurgled, and after a moment, Jo reached out, letting the infant wrap her hand around her index finger.

"Of course we can have pancakes, Dy." Zane said, balancing the little girl on his hip. He turned back to Jo. "But first, I want you to meet someone." The child looked at Jo, before turning back to Zane.

"But that's Mommy." She replied. Zane nodded.

"I know. But Auntie Allison gave her some medicine to help her sleep after Brookie was born, and her memory's a little fuzzy. So we're gonna play along until the medicine leaves her system and she remembers, okay?" The little girl nodded. "Jo, meet your daughter, Dylan. Dylan, meet your mommy." The two shook hands, before Zane set the little girl on her feet. "Why don't you go downstairs. I'll be right down, little one." The child did as told, and once she was gone, Zane went to Jo, gently taking the baby from her and helping her into the rocking chair in the corner as he quickly changed the baby. "Now, do you want to tell me why you don't remember our children?"


	5. Chapter 5

**R****ifiuto: Non Miriena **

She crawled into bed, burrowing under the covers. She was exhausted. Breakfast had been a tense affair- hell, the whole_ day_ had been tense. She'd stammered for several minutes, trying to figure out what to say to Zane about why she didn't remember their children. More than once, the possibility of telling him the truth popped into her head.

_Okay, here's why I don't remember having your babies- it's because I've never _had_ your babies! We've only been dating for _two years_! Sure, you proposed on Founders' Day, but I didn't reply and you stormed off, and then, when I tried to call you, I got thrown back to nineteen-forty-seven with four other people, and when we _finally_ returned home, it was to an alternate universe, where you and I didn't like each other, let alone dated! And just when I think I've gotten home- to _my_ time- I wake up to discover that I'm not in my timeline, but I'm in one where we're dating and we have kids! That's why I don't remember your children! I'm not from this time!_

Yeah, _that_ would have gone over_ great_.

So she'd made up some ridiculous excuse about how the birth had drained her mentally and that, coupled with the medicine Allison had given her, had made her memory a little fuzzy, and to give her a couple days or so and she'd be back to herself. Surprisingly, he'd accepted it. They'd lounged around the house all day; apparently, from what Jo could gather, they were both on paid leave for the next few months. And, from what Jo could also gather, she was Head of Security, and Zane was- and this shocked her beyond reason- Head of Section Five.

Zane? Head of Section Five? _By far,_ the _most_ _dangerous section_ of Global Dynamics? _Zane?_

The man _spurned_ authority. Ridiculed it. _Literally._ He'd been brought to Eureka instead of being sent to prison for stealing half a million dollars two years earlier. He'd bought her fourteen boxes of Liza's Lingerie, blatantly told her that he'd like to sleep with her, asked her out, made her feel like a moron, raced headlong into a near fiery death, got their feet fused together- okay, so the last one was_ technically_ Carter's fault, but _Zane_ was the one she'd spent_ eight hours_ fused to- the list went on, and she didn't have the energy to go over it all. The point was, Zane and authority of any kind- be it other types of authority or his own- _didn't mix_.

Now, she curled up in bed, struggling to turn her thoughts off. Her attention was brought from the pillows and blankets to the baby monitor on the nightstand. She pushed herself onto her elbow, reaching for it. She could hear soft talking on the other end, and she laid back, staring at the small device.

"It's been a rough day, hasn't it? I know... I know it has... and I know Mommy not remembering you didn't make it any easier..." It was Zane, talking to their baby girl, she could hear the creaking of the rocking chair as he took a seat. "... but you didn't make it any easier on her either, Brookie, a week ago. You were dead set on taking your time entering this world, and Mommy was not at all pleased, and she didn't let any of us- not me, not Auntie Allison or Auntie Zoe or anyone else in the infirmary- forget it. After you were born, Mommy told me that she'd never encountered pain that excrutiating before, not even in Afghanistan. But you know what else? She also said that it was worth it. That it was worth every contraction and every scream to be able to hold you in her arms... she loves you, baby girl, she's just getting readjusted to everything... but know that she loves you, and so do I... sleep tight, little one. Sweet dreams."

She set the monitor back on the nighstand and curled up under the covers again, burying her face in her pillow to stop the flow of tears. Eventually, she cried herself to sleep.

She awoke with a start three hours later. Her mind still in that fog of sleep, she reached out, checking the time on the clock.

Two a.m.

She groaned softly and sat up, only to discover that she couldn't move. It took a few moments before she felt someone tug her back, and she turned, to see Zane laying peacefully beside her. His arm was wrapped tight around her waist, and she sighed. She struggled to get out of his embrace, but he held tighter to her, wrapping a leg around hers and murmuring softly in his sleep. "... my... Jojo..."

That stopped her cold. She turned, watching the rhythmic rise and fall of his chest. After a moment, she lay back down, turning to face him. Unable to return to sleep, she took to studying the man laying beside her, sound asleep in her bed. He looked the same as he had when she'd been thrown back in time... just... older.

She could see small creases along his forehead- he was dreaming deep, complicated dreams, she knew it- and the familiar stubble she loved so along his cheeks and chin. She gently brushed her fingers over it, and he moved in his sleep, turning towards her hand. He pressed a kiss to her palm before settling down again- an all too familiar gesture that she was accustomed to in their two-year relationship. She knew that if he opened his eyes, that they'd still be the same ice blue she'd fallen in love with; that the two little girls sound asleep in their rooms possessed. She reached up, tracing his hairline, running her fingers down the bridge of his nose, thumbing his bottom lip gently. She tangled her fingers in his familiar black hair before trailing her hand down his chest. She slipped her hand under his shirt, the familiar washboard of his stomach beneath her fingertips. She took a deep breath, running her fingers down his stomach and over his hips, sliding around to gently grace his backside before moving over his thighs. A part of her was amazed that he didn't stir, that his eyes didn't open instantly, but then again, if she was any indication, he was probably as exhausted as she was. She'd watched silently today as he chased his older daughter around the house, attempting to stop her from wreaking havoc, to no avail.

The only thing he did was murmur her name again and shift closer to her in his sleep. She felt him bury his face in her hair, his arms going tight around her as their legs tangled. She swallowed, slowly wrapping her arms around him and holding him close. His even breathing eventually began to lull her into sleep...

And then her eyes snapped open at the shrill cries coming over the monitor. She looked up, finding herself staring into Zane's tired blue gaze. He sighed, even as she struggled to say something, and after gently untangling her from himself, he got out of bed, giving her a small, tired smirk, as if he knew she'd been exploring his body as he slept. "You stay, I'll get her."

He came back five minutes later, the baby in his arms. He took a seat on the bed beside Jo, who'd sat up and pulled her legs to her chest, resting her head on her knees, waiting. The baby continued to cry, as Zane nodded for Jo to put her legs down. Slowly, the woman did as told, looking up at him. He watched, waiting. "What?" A soft chuckle escaped his lips and he nodded towards her chest. She glanced down, not fully comprehending. After a moment, Zane whispered,

"Unbutton your top."

"Why?" She asked, doing as told. He sighed, rolling his eyes, but a soft smile appeared on his lips.

"Because she's hungry." Jo stopped unbuttoning the shirt and looked up at him, her dark eyes going from the baby to her blouse and back.

"She... she's..." He nodded. "But... but can't you get... a... a bottle... or... or_ formula_ or..." She stammered as Zane reached out and finished unbuttoning her shirt. He pushed it off her shoulders, exposing her full breasts. Then, he laid the baby in her arms, gently guiding the little girl's mouth to her mother's breast. Jo took a deep breath, not used to the baby's suckling. She looked up at Zane, who watched her with a mixture of pride and love in his eyes.

"You_ are_ the formula, babe. She's too small to use a bottle, and any formula other than your milk isn't good for her right now. She's only a week old, remember?" Jo didn't respond. "Something wrong?" He asked softly. Jo forced herself to tear her eyes away from the baby at her breast, and she looked up at Zane. She opened her mouth to speak, but couldn't think of anything to say.

"Ah... I..." Her eyes darted to his hands, and she saw the silver wedding band on his finger. Her breath caught as she lifted her left hand, only to see an identical silver band on her ring finger, sandwiched between the familiar engagement ring that had caused all the trouble in the first place, and her knuckle. She forced herself to take a breath, her eyes darting up to Zane.

"You look like you've seen a ghost. Are you sure you're all right?" He asked, laying a hand on her back. She nodded, swallowing.

"Yeah, I... I'm just... tired..." He nodded.

"I know the feeling." He whispered, wrapping his arms around her. She looked up at him; he watched their daughter eat with pride in his blue eyes- fatherly pride, for the little girl they'd created together. Gently, Jo reached up and brushed her fingers over the baby's head, feeling the same pride well in her chest for a little girl that didn't even _exist_ in her time yet. After a moment, she whispered,

"Zane? What year is it?" He glanced at her, confusion creasing his brow.

"Two thousand fifteen. Why?"


	6. Chapter 6

**R****ifiuto: Non Miriena **

She choked, tightening her hold on the baby at her breast. The little girl squeaked, and Zane reached out, grabbing Jo's hands. "Jo, release. _Release._ Gently, that's a good girl." After a tense moment, she was able to relax her grip. When the baby finally finished eating, Zane gently took her from Jo, leaning her against the small washcloth over his shoulder. He rubbed her back gently, watching as Jo slowly buttoned up her shirt with shaky hands. "I'll go put her back to bed." Once he was gone, Jo moved to the edge of their bed.

Two... _two thousand fifteen_...

When she'd left the other timeline- both timelines- it had been two thousand ten, and in one, Zane had just proposed, and in the other, she and Zane didn't even like each other. So... so how could... how could they go from possibly getting engaged to having two kids in... in the course of nearly _five_ years?

It didn't make sense.

After a moment, she got up, shuffling into the bathroom. Minutes passed in tense silence, as she stared at her reflection. She didn't look any different, didn't look much older than she was. Sure, there were circles under her eyes, and her skin was flush, but she looked the same.

"You okay, babe?" She looked up, to see Zane leaning against the doorway, arms crossed. For a moment, she let her eyes skim over his figure, drinking him in. She nodded, swallowing.

"Yeah. Just... just tired." He chuckled softly, going to her and pressing a kiss to her hair before going back into the bedroom.

"No one said having kids would be _easy_, Jojo." He said, taking a seat on the bed. She followed, sitting next to him.

"Um... Zane..." She took a deep breath. "What... when... when was... D... Dyl... Dylan born?" She looked up at him, waiting. He thought a moment, studying her face.

"We... got married in two thousand ten and... waited a year. Dylan was born on April eighteenth, two thousand twelve. She just turned four nearly six weeks ago. Remember?" Jo shook her head. "Are you sure you're okay, love?" He brushed a strand of hair away from her cheek. She bit her lip, nodding.

"Of course I'm just..." But she didn't finish. She looked up at him, staring into his eyes for several minutes before leaning up and kissing him. He didn't respond at first; her hands went around his neck and tangled in his hair. After several minutes, he deepened the kiss, wrapping an arm around her small waist. She climbed into his lap, straddling him as her hands moved from his hair and down his chest. Eventually, he broke the kiss, gasping for air, a crooked grin on his face.

"Now_ why_ didn't that feel like a first kiss?" He joked. Jo paled. The Zane in the other timeline had said the same thing that night in the Sheriff's office. Zane noticed her shift in mood and gently took her chin, turning her face up to his. "Hey. It was just a joke. I'm sorry if I hurt your feelings." She stared into his eyes, seeing complete honesty within the familiar blue depths.

"No, it... it's okay... I... I just... _God, I'm so tired_..." She looked up when Zane started laughing, and her mouth dropped in shock. "It's not funny!" She cried, punching him hard in the shoulder. "It was_ your kid I gave birth too_!" It took Zane a couple minutes to catch his breath, but when he did, he wrapped his arms tighter around Jo and pulled her closer.

"That's my Jojo." He whispered, resting his forehead against hers. He closed his eyes briefly, taking a deep breath. "Oh Jo..." His eyes opened and she felt him briefly search her face. Then, he leaned down and kissed her, tugging gently on her lower lip with his teeth before nudging her lips open. She gasped softly as he tasted every corner and crevice of her mouth, exploring and studying her in that intense way he had of doing everything he set his mind to.

She grabbed fistfuls of his shirt, pulling him closer. Eventually, though, he shifted them until she lay on her back. His hands tangled in her hair, and she worked her hands down under his shirt, tugging it over his head before continuing her exploration of him. She slipped her hands beneath the elastic of his boxers, stroking him gently. He groaned softly against her lips, pressing against her. She whimpered in pleasure, arching into him.

And suddenly, she was watching as he scrambled away from her, eyes wide as he took several deep breaths to calm his racing heart. She sat up, not bothering to hide the blush on her cheeks, confusion in her eyes. "We can't do this." He told her gently, moving to the edge of the bed.

"Zane-"

"Allison will kill us both if she finds out. The only_ difference_ is she'll bring you back and let you live. She'll bring me back and then kill me again, and _maybe_ let Carter have a turn or two." He said, getting up and going to the dresser. She watched him change, pulling on a pair of sweats and a tank, grabbing a sweatshirt before pulling on his tennis shoes.

"Za-" She stopped. "Carter's here? In... in_ Eureka_?" He looked up at her.

"Of course he's in Eureka. He's the sheriff, remember?" She didn't respond. He rolled his eyes, then leaned down, pulling on his sweatshirt. "I'm gonna go for a run. I'll stop by Cafe Diem and pick up breakfast for us and Dy. You just stay in bed and rest."

"You're going for a run? Now? It's..." She turned, checking the clock. "almost five." She started at the realization that nearly three hours had passed, and she'd been up instead of sleeping.

"I know. Normally, we'd go at six, but because of Allison's orders..." He let the sentence drop, and Jo understood. "I'll be back. I won't be gone long. Get some sleep." He leaned close, capturing her lips in a deep, thorough kiss. "I love you, Jo." Then, he slipped out of the room. She heard the front door close, and after a moment, got up, going into the hall. As her eyes adjusted to the darkness, she began to explore the missing chapters of her story.


	7. Chapter 7

**R****ifiuto: Non Miriena***

The group sat in silence for several minutes, before Vincent came over with refills. He quickly topped off all cups, glancing back at the door that Jo and her friends had just exited through. He seemed to watch longingly, hoping for her to come back a changed woman.

"Does Jo seem... different to you?"

"What do you mean, Vincent?" Henry asked. The older man shrugged as he refilled Carter's Vinspresso.

"Well, over the last few months, she'd been... less cold and standoffish, more... warm and friendly. Loving, even." The others shared knowing looks; Vincent sighed. "Oh well. It was... almost like she was a completely different Jo." He returned to work, patting Carter on the shoulder.

"That's because she was different." Zane whispered once Vincent'd left. He looked down, he held the engagement ring; he'd spent the last few weeks struggling to think of a way to give this back to her... now, it wasn't necessary.

It would probably never be necessary again. After a moment, he looked up at the others.

"Was... was she always..."

"Always what, Zane?" Allison asked. The younger man sighed. He shook his head after a moment.

"Never mind." Then, he got up.

"Zane!" But he ignored Allison, heading outside.

Jo stood with her friends, talking, sipping coffee and killing an hour or two before heading to work. The redhead said something and Jo laughed; the sound was so similar to _her_ laugh... he shivered. Of course it was similiar, it _was_ her laugh. She had just been a... a different version. The laughter only strengthened his resolve, and he went to her. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Carter and the others leave the cafe and skid to a halt on the sidwalk, surrounded by the other patrons of Cafe Diem.

He stopped in front of Jo and her friends. The laughter and conversation immediately died down as they laid eyes on him, and the girls huddled together, sipping their coffee as they watched him, each with disdain. The blonde tossed her hair over her shoulder. "Come to cause us more trouble, Donovan?" She asked, illiciting laughter from the others, minus Jo. She watched him with caution in her eyes.

He bit his lip, unsure of what to say. "Go on, speak up, Donovan." She finally said, sipping her coffee.

Instead of speaking, he went to her. His arms went around her waist, and he stared into her dark, startled eyes for a moment before his lips brushed hers in a deep, passionate kiss. He ran a hand up her spine, pressing her against him as the kiss deepened. Sparks ignited with each brush of her lips against his, each taste, each caress. Eventually though, he pulled away.

She struggled to take a breath. "I..." Words wouldn't come.

After a moment, Zane shook his head. "No sparks." He stared at her, unable to wrap his head around the fact that he felt nothing when he kissed this Jo.

Only-

With_ her_.


	8. Chapter 8

**R****ifiuto: Non Miriena**

She moved silently down the hall, looking around. Everything looked the same. The only differences, were that she and Zane were married, had a four-year-old little girl, and that she'd just given birth to their second child.

And that they'd been married for nearly five years.

After a moment, she went downstairs, stopping to study the photographs on the wall. She moved downstairs, entering the living room. The remains of a fire dimmed in the fireplace, and silent, Jo stepped up to the mantle.

There was a photograph of her and Zane, on what appeared to be their wedding day, surrounded by their friends at Cafe Diem. She had her arms around his neck, and was looking over her shoulder at the camera. He held her waist, keeping her close, that crooked grin she loved so much beaming at her. They looked so happy. The next photographs were obviously of their small family evolving- in one, Jo held a baby girl in her arms, and in the second, that same baby girl was sitting on Zane's lap, meeting her sister for the first time. She turned from the mantle, taking a seat on the sofa and picking up the remote. She turned it on, turning down the volume and glancing behind her to make sure she didn't disturb the children sleeping upstairs. When she turned back, she found that she was watching a home video.

_"There's my Josefina!" The camera zoomed in on her, exhausted, sitting up in a bed in the infirmary. She gripped Zane's hand as he settled beside her, rubbing her back and whispering soothing words to her. "How're you doing, Mommy?"_

_She gave him a strained smile. "I'm not a mommy yet, Carter." She choked out, taking a deep breath._

_"Ah, but you will be soon. So, are you excited?" He asked, swinging the camera from Zane to Jo and back._

_"Try terrified." Zane said, giving the camera a small smile as she groaned and tensed, squeezing his hand. He continued his rubbing of her back, returning his attention to her._

_"Oh God," She choked out a cry, biting her lip and squeezing her eyes shut as she dealt with the contraction. "She's... not going to... wait any longer... she's definately... your kid, Zane... as impatient... as Hell... Allison, can I push now,_ please_?"_

_"She is not like me-"_

_"You were dating for two years, and then you proposed on Founders' Day. I think if you'd had the chance, you'd have proposed the day you met, Zane." Carter cut him off, as her screams broke the sound barrier. _

_"I would not-" But he didn't get to finish. _

_"You can push now, Jo!" Allison told her. She did as told, beginning to bear down, as Carter moved closer. _

_"Carter, remove the camera before I break your nose-" Zane threatened. _

_"No! I want... Oh God!" She let out a groan that quickly turned into a scream, squeezing Zane's hand so hard, she cut off circulation. "I want... this recorded... my dad can't... be here..."_

_"So you want to record the birth of our baby so he can see it?" Zane asked, struggling to remove her hand from his. "Jo... Jo... fingers... grip..." _

_"Yes!" She screamed, squeezing his hand harder._

_"Jo, you're cutting off circulation to my hand... Jo!" He managed to free himself from her grip, shaking his hand to get feeling back to his fingers. She didn't ask, didn't question it, just grabbed his wrist and squeezed, digging her nails into his skin as she pushed again_. _Every single muscle tensed, straining as she pushed, screeching in pain as she felt her body do its job._

_"Never again! I am never... never giving birth... to your kid again..." She screamed, tightening her grip on his wrist. She didn't notice nor hear the sound of bones breaking. If she did, she attributed it to the hell she was going through now. "I want... your kid... out of me! God, get her out!" She ignored Allison's words of encouragement, screwing her eyes shut and clenching her teeth as she leaned forward and pushed_.

_Somehow, through the haze of tears and the sound of her heart racing, through the rush of blood in her ears and the molecular throbbing pain taking place in the lower half of her body, she was able to watch as her daughter left her body and came into the bright, cold, unforgiving world where her parents lived. A last scream escaped her throat, and she collapsed back among the pillows, the shrill, healthy cries of a newborn reaching her ears._

_She looked over at Zane, out of breath and exhausted from birth, meeting his eyes. He stared at her, awe in his eyes as he smiled at her. "You did it, Jojo. You gave birth to our baby girl." She stared at him, barely understanding what he was saying, before,_

_"She..." She turned, to see Zoe hold out a screaming newborn, still covered in blood and birth._

_"We should probably clean her off, but you had said that you wanted to hold her immediately after she was born, so..." Gently, the younger woman laid the infant in her mother's arms, she held the baby against her chest, and slowly, over time, the baby's cries ceased. The baby lay against her mother's chest, tucked beneath her chin. She turned to look at Zane, who wasn't even noticing as Allison worked on setting his clearly broken wrist._

_"She's... absolutely beautiful. And so tiny..." He whispered in awe._

_"She didn't _feel_ tiny." His wife replied, looking down at the baby, before shifting her into her arms. Zoe took the baby back, quickly cleaning her off before wrapping her in a blanket and giving her back to her friend. _

_"Seven pounds, five ounces." Allison replied, watching the new mother carefully. "Do you know how to nurse her?" She explained it gently when the woman shook her head, and eventually, the image on the camera showed Jo sitting up in bed, her daughter in her arms, nursing contentedly at her breast._

_"She's here. She's really here. I... I can't believe it..." Zane pressed a kiss to her hair._

_"You did great, babe." He whispered. She looked up at him._

_"What's her name?" Carter asked. The pair shared a look, before she asked,_

_"Dylan?" Zane raised an eyebrow._

_"Why Dylan?" She shrugged._

_"I... I had a friend, who was killed in nine eleven, named Dylan. She... worked for Canton and Fitzgerald as a peralegal, and was one of those pressed against the windows after the plane hit. She... she didn't survive... Dylan Tessa? For your mother?" She asked, looking at Zane. He thought a moment, testing the words slowly. _

_"Dylan... Tessa... Donovan." He grinned at her. "It's... perfect." _

_"And if you don't want the mouthful, you can always call her DD." The young couple both turned to glare at the camera. _

_"Shut up, Carter!"_

She was so engrossed in the video, that she didn't hear the door open, nor did she hear Zane make his way to the kitchen. She only registered that he was there when he laid a hand on her shoulder and she jumped. "I didn't mean to scare you. I thought you were back in bed, sleeping." He said, setting the two cups of coffee on the table along with the pastries he'd picked up.

"Couldn't sleep. Thanks." She accepted the coffee he handed her, giving him a small smile. "How was your run?" He shrugged, taking a sip.

"Fine. But I missed my jogging partner." He said, glancing at her. She blushed. "So, I see you found the home movie Carter had shot." She nodded, turning back to the footage.

"Yeah. I... it was such a... a _momentous event_ and I... I don't even _remember_ it..." He watched her, raising an eyebrow at her odd turn of phrase, but decided to let it slide for the time being. She had just given birth to their second child nearly a week ago. Some memory loss was allowed. But once everything was back to normal, he'd ask- but only if the problem persisted. He'd learned a long time ago to let Jo be.

"It was quite momentous." He watched her, closely. "It was the start of our family. Not our extended family, with Carter and Allison and Henry and Zoe, but of _our_ family. Yours and mine. The one we created, _together_." She nodded, her eyes transfixed on the image of the baby she held in her arms. "He recorded Brooke's birth also. We have it, if you want to watch it."

She turned to look at him. "Could we?"


	9. Chapter 9

**R****ifiuto: Non Miriena**

**A/N: There's a line in the video scene taken from an interview with Erica Cerra. Virtual cookies to anyone who knows what it is.**

How had she... how could she have... how could she have_ possibly_ missed this? Missed the births of her _children_? Granted, this obviously wasn't_ her_ timeline- it was another Jo's, with another Zane, and the life _they'd_ created together; a life and time where two beautiful children had been concieved and born, where they were both in positions of relative power, and where they were- quite obviously- deeply, deeply in love. But still.

This was a timeline where they were obviously older- though no older than she and her Zane were in their timeline- from what she could figure out. And Carter, and Allison, and Fargo and Henry were all here, so that meant she wasn't completely alone. Sure, they might remember a different her, but deep down, she was still the same Jo, no matter what time she was from.

"Dy was relatively easy compared to Brooke." Zane told her, sipping his coffee. She snapped out of her thoughts, turning her attention back to the screen.

"What do you mean?" She asked.

"Dylan was impatient; she wanted so badly to enter the world, that by the time we got to the infirmary, Allison determined that you were already nine centimeters. With Brooke, it took longer. It was slower. She wasn't in as big a rush to enter the world, though you..." He chuckled softly. "You were quite adament that she was coming out whether she liked it or not." Jo felt a blush cover her cheeks. She ran her finger along the rim of her cup, asking,

"Can we... can we watch... her birth now?" Zane sipped his coffee, handing her the remote. She took it, biting her lip as she pressed play.

_A little girl's face popped up on the screen. She was jumping up and down, waving her hands. "Hi Uncle Carer!" _

_"Hey Dy! What'cha doing?" The little girl looked towards the infirmary bed, before returning her gaze to the camera. _

_"My mommy's in Auntie Allison's infimay."_

_"She's in the infirmary?" The child nodded. "Why is she in the infirmary?" The child giggled, clapping her hands excitedly. _

_"She's having my sister!"_

_"She's having your sister?" The girl nodded again, faster. Then, she grabbed Carter's hand, pulling him towards the bed. The camera got closer, and they could see a young woman laying back against the pillows, her legs up as Allison checked her progress. Carter let out a fake gasp, making the little girl giggle. "Why you're right, Dy! Mommy is having your baby sister!"_

_Zane rolled his eyes. "Good to see you too, Carter." He knelt down, scooping the little girl up._

_"Is she here, yet?" The child asked. Zane chuckled, shaking his head._

_"Please tell me I can push now, Allison." Jo asked, taking a deep breath. Allison shook her head._

_"Not yet, Jo. You're only about four centimeters dialated. You've got a long way to go before you can push." Allison replied, finishing her examination. She turned to the little girl in Zane's arms. "She's got a long way to go before the baby comes. It's gonna be a while. Your sister isn't as eager to come into the world as you were." The child laughed as Allison removed her gloves and tickled her chin._

_"You were certainly easier, though, Dylan." Jo said, turning to look at her child. The little girl reached out for her mom, and Zane set her gently on the bed. She curled up next to her, kissing her cheek before moving to her mom's stomach and leaning down._

_"Please come out soon, Sissy. I want to meet you! And we're going to have so much fun together when you're here! Will you come out of Mommy's tummy now? Please?" Zane chuckled, taking his wife's hand. He settled beside her on the bed, talking softly to her, watching their child_. _She groaned, tensing up, squeezing Zane's hand, eyes clenched shut. _

_"It's gonna be a long night." She gasped, relaxing slightly. Moments passed, before she struggled to sit up. "Zane, can you-" He helped her up, and she scooted to the edge of the bed. "I can't lay down anymore. I..." She groaned, digging her nails into his hand. _

_"Come on, let's get you up and walking around. That'll help with the contractions." Allison said, as she and Zane helped her to her feet._ _He wrapped an arm around her waist, holding her close as they walked slowly around the room, stopping every few minutes when a contraction caused her to double over in an attempt to deal with the pain. He rubbed her back, whispering soothing words to calm her down. _

_"All right, Jo, let's see how you're doing." Allison checked her after two hours, giving her a big smile. "You can sit up and push now." _

_"Thank God!" Zane helped his wife sit up,_ _taking her hand as she began to push. A scream escaped her mouth, and she dug her nails into Zane's wrist, biting down to the bone. She screwed her eyes shut, clenching her teeth as she continued. Another hour passed; eventually, her screams were drowned out by the wails of a healthy newborn baby girl. _

_"Come meet your baby sister, Dy." Zane scooped his daughter up, setting her on his lap as Allison laid the now cleaned-off baby into his wife's arms. "There's our baby. There's our baby girl." Zane whispered, letting his daughter scoot closer to see the infant. The baby stared at her sister with ice blue eyes. _

_"What's her name?" Carter asked. Zane glanced at his wife, saying,_

_"Brookelyn Clarissa. Since... you're mom's name was Clarissa, I figured..." Zane dropped off, glancing at Jo. She gave him a big smile. _

_"It's perfect for her." She looked down at the baby girl nursing at her breast. Awe lit her eyes, and she glanced up at Zane. "I... I thought... I was in love with her when she was in my belly, but...I am... so much more in love now that she is... actually here, in my arms... I... I can't stop staring at her, she is... so beautiful..."_

_"So, is she everything you wanted?" Carter asked. Zane looked up at him, tears in his eyes._

_"She's perfect, just like Dy. We couldn't have asked for anything more!"_

He glanced at Jo. She sat watching the video with wide, surprised eyes. After a moment, he took her hand, squeezing gently, before setting his cup down and getting up. He leaned down, whispering,

"Vincent put your raspberry cinnamon roll in with the others. I'm gonna go upstairs for a quick shower, if you need me." He pressed a kiss to her cheek, before disappearing upstairs. She watched him leave, before turning back to the video. After a moment, she turned the TV off and sat sipping her coffee. Eventually, she got up, going upstairs. Zane had said that he'd be in the shower if she needed him...


	10. Chapter 10

**R****ifiuto: Non Miriena+**

**A/N: This is a glimpse into the original timeline...**

She stood in the town square, surrounded by her fellow Eurekans on Founders' Day. This wasn't right. She was supposed to be home on leave- especially considering- but then again, if Zane had decided that she and the girls needed a little time out of the house, he'd certainly bring them down here to take part on the celebration. Especially considering the siginificance of the day to their relationship. She looked around, finally laying eyes on a familiar face.

"Grace!" The older woman stumbled back as Jo threw her arms around her. "Oh thank God!"

"Um... I... I'm sorry... do I... know you?" Jo pulled away.

"Of course you know me. You watch the girls all the time."

"Girls?" Jo nodded.

"Dylan and Brooke." Grace glanced at Henry and the others. Just as she opened her mouth to reply, Jo pulled away. "I have to find Zane!" And before anyone could respond, she had disappeared into the crowd of revelers. She looked around, searching for him. Her feet led her further downtown, coming upon the sheriff's office. She turned.

"Zane!" She pushed through the crowd; once she was by his side, she threw her arms around his neck and crashed her lips onto his. He caught her, his arms going around her waist. She drank him in, relishing the feel of his lips on hers, of his taste. Eventually, he pulled away to stare at her. She gave him a small smile, pulling him closer. "Thank God. I thought I'd lost you." He held her, unsure of what to say. Eventually though, he pulled her into the sheriff's office, shutting the door to the offices so that they wouldn't be disturbed.

"Jo... are you all right?" He asked when he turned back to her. She was sitting on the sofa, looking around, taking everything in.

"I haven't been in here in years. It seems like only yesterday that I was Carter's deputy." That tipped him off.

"What do you mean 'only yesterday', Jo? You _are_ Carter's deputy. You have been for the last six years." She shook her head.

"Not anymore. I'm Head of Security, remember?"

"Of... GD?" She nodded. "No you're not. Where would you get the insane idea that-" He stopped. Something about her was off. He stepped closer, examining her. Eventually, she got up, wandering around the office, becoming reacquainted with old memories. He watched her, silent, letting her wander around, studying everything in that way she had, while he studied her.

She looked older, though no less beautiful. Her long dark hair tumbled around her shoulders in loose waves- not at all her customary ponytail. Even from this distance, as she walked around, he saw that she looked softer, gentler. Her normally sharp curves had softened drastically, she was thin, like she'd always been, but there was a... a fullness about her body that he hadn't seen before. Her breasts were fuller, her stomach softer, less defined than usual. She turned to him, her eyes lighting on the cell.

"This is where you proposed." Zane's face fell. He nodded.

"Yeah. I... I did... and... you... you didn't respond." She glanced at him, laughing softly. "What?"

"That's not the way I remember it." He stared at her, confused.

"How do you ... remember it?" She turned to him.

"You asked me to marry you, and I hesitated. I closed the box, and knelt down across from you. Kissed you. When we finally broke the kiss, I asked when the wedding was, and you replied that... it was whenever I wanted it. Then, you slipped the ring on my finger. We were... married that autumn. A fall wedding, the leaves on the trees had just turned, and we were... bathed in the falling leaves... Even though I'm Catholic... you somehow... managed to convince my dad to have an outdoor ceremony. Davie and Luca were there, Dad gave me away... even Uncle Theo was there-"

"Theo?" Zane asked. She nodded.

"Theo Mansfield." He stumbled back, missing the chair he was going to sit in and hitting the desk.

"_Mansfield?_ What does he have to do with-"

"He's my godfather. Don't you remember?" Zane shook his head. She shrugged. "No big deal. As long as you're good to me and the girls, he doesn't have a problem." Jo replied, opening the cell door and running her hands over the bars, as though she were caressing an old lover.

"Wait a minute..." Zane started, standing. "Girls?_ What_ girls?"

She turned back to look at him. "Dylan and Brookelyn. Our daughters."

Zane felt his heart plummet into his toes. She... she _couldn't be serious_? She seriously thought they... they had_ kids_ together? What had exactly happened to her after he stormed out this morning? Did she hit her head on a misplaced rocket and pass out? Was blood cut off to her brain for too long? Or was this just some elaborate prank to get back at him?

He scoffed softly, going to her. If she was hurt, it was better to humor her than not. He stopped next to her, watching. "Um... Jojo... how..." He couldn't believe he was about to ask this. "How old are the girls?" Jo didn't look up from her study of the cell; she slipped into it and ran her fingers over the green blanket, before taking a seat on the cot. He sighed, following and taking a seat next to her. He took her hand, running his thumb over the back of her hand.

"Dylan just turned four, and Brooke is little over a week old. They look so much like you. They're the sweetest little girls in the entire world-"

"Whoa, slow down, Jo. Did you just say that... that one of them was... a _week old_?" She nodded.

"Yeah. Brookie. Why?" He bit his lip. Instead of replying though, he kissed her, capturing her lips in a deep kiss. Eventually, she pulled away, a contented smile on her face.

"I hate to break it too you, Jojo, but... we aren't married. And we don't have kids."


	11. Chapter 11

**R****ifiuto: Non Miriena**

**A/N: Erica Cerra's paraphrased line is this: "I thought I was in love with her when she was in my belly, but I am so much more in love now that she is actually here, in my arms I can't stop staring at her, she is so beautiful. She's perfect. We couldn't have asked for anything more."**

She peeled off her pajamas, shutting the bedroom door softly behind her. Then, she made her way to the bathroom, stepping inside and going to the shower. She could see Zane under the showerhead, the muscles in his back contracting with each movement. Moments passed, and she found herself admiring him like she'd done that morning in bed as he slept. Taking a deep breath, she stepped into the shower. Her hands moved of their own accord, reaching out to him, running lightly along his waist and up his back, down his sides and around his front, moving up to caress his shoulders.

He stopped before turning to look at her over his shoulder, a small smile tugging at his lips. "I thought you were still downstairs." She shrugged.

"I realized I needed you for something." He raised an eyebrow.

"What?"

"This." She turned him around, wrapping an arm around his waist and laying another on his chest as she stood up on tip toe, capturing his lips in hers. She drank in his kiss, tasting the coffee on his lips, and his own unique taste. He wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her against him, and she giggled softly at the magnetic response of his body to hers. The mere feel of him against her sent her pulse into overdrive, had her body throbbing for him, and him hardening for her. Eventually, she shoved him up against the wall, deepening the kiss and moving a hand downward. But once again, his chivalry won out, and he gently pushed her away.

"No, babe. Not until Allison clears you."

"But Zane-"

"I don't want anything to happen to you-"

"Nothing would happen! I'm fine!"

"You gave birth to our daughter a week ago, Jo! I'm not going to risk hurting you _or_ Allison's wrath. Please, babe, just until she gives us the okay." He said, taking her face in his hands. She sighed, closing her eyes and nodding. "Thank you." He pressed a kiss to her forehead, before pulling away. They could hear a shrill cry coming over the monitor, and after a moment, Zane stepped out of the shower, pulling on a robe. "I'll be right back." Jo sighed, taking the time alone to wash her hair and clean off. She stepped out of the shower and slipped into the bedroom, getting dressed.

"Hey little one... good morning..." She stopped, listening to Zane talk to his daughter over the monitor. No, _their_ daughter, she was Jo's child too. Not that she remembered anything from this life, but...

But she was stuck in it for the forseeable future until she could get back to her time, so she might as well get used to it.

She pulled a white tank top on over her cream colored bra, then pulled on her jeans and quickly ran a brush through her hair before going into the hall. She instinctively made her way towards the baby's room; Dylan rushed out, still in her cameo pajamas. She threw her arms around Jo's legs, looking up at her. "Hi Mommy." Jo looked down at her, a small smile slowly lighting up her features.

"Hi baby. Um... why don't you go downstairs? Daddy picked up breakfast, and I'm sure Vincent put a... a maple bar in there for you."

"Okay!" And without another word, the child rushed downstairs. Once she was gone, Jo continued towards the baby's room; she slipped silently inside, to see Zane dressing their daughter in a light pink onesie.

"There's Mommy!" He gently scooped her up, going to Jo. "Why don't you go to Mommy, sweetheart." He gently laid the baby girl in her mom's arms, and Jo looked up at him. After a moment, the baby began to fuss. Jo looked up at Zane who nodded, before slowly lifting her tank and lowering her bra strap. She guided the baby's mouth, letting out a light gasp as the infant began to nurse.

_I'll never get used to that sensation._

She slowly made her way to the rocking chair and sat down, watching the baby suckle at her breast. She looked up after a moment, to find Zane watching her with soft eyes. "What?" Suddenly, she began to worry that she was doing everything wrong. He shook his head.

"Nothing." He went to her, kneeling beside the rocking chair. "You're just... the most beautiful creature I've ever seen." He whispered, staring into her eyes. She searched his face briefly, before leaning close and capturing his lips in a kiss. She reached up, gently cradling his cheek in her hand as she kissed him, and after a moment, he grabbed the back of her head, deepening the kiss. She reached down, grabbing a fistful of his shirt.

"Daddy?" The two broke apart, turning to see Dylan standing in the doorway. Zane glanced back at Jo, grinning before turning to their daughter.

"What is it, baby girl?" He asked, holding his arms open. The child rushed to him, throwing her arms around his neck. He laughed, falling back onto the floor, as the girl settled into his lap. "Your fingers are sticky! I see you found the maple bar Vincent gave you. Was it good?" She nodded, giggling as Zane took her small hand and kissed the sugary concoction off her tiny fingers.

"Daddy! That tickles!" Jo watched Zane and his daughter, noticing how at ease he was around the little girl, how relaxed, how... fatherly. She _couldn't_ imagine _her_ Zane being a father- at least, not at the point they were in in their relationship. But _this_ Zane-

Sure, he was older- more mature- but there was also a sense of confidence that surrounded him that wasn't egotistical or prideful in any way. He was sure of himself, of his place in the world, of the path he'd chosen for his life; he was sure of the home he'd created for himself and his family, for his daughters, and for the woman he'd chosen to marry. He was confident in his ability to provide for and protect them, that he could look after his girls, that he could love them the way they deserved to be loved. He was certain that he got his girls out of harm's way first, that they were safe whenever anything went wrong. That the woman he loved was okay whenever it came to any of the psychotic messes at GD; that she was his first priority.

He had an air about him that was different than the man she was in love with back in her timeline. This one was confident; he didn't care about trying to impress her because he'd already won her heart. He saw her as his equal, as the only woman to share his bed, as the mother of his children. She was his best friend, his soulmate, his partner in crime. She was his lover, his partner, his heart and soul. The father of her children...

If she ever returned to her own time, she knew what awaited her, and knew that her answer would be yes. She knew that she and Zane would have two beautiful daughters, that they'd both hold very influential positions in GD... that they'd be happy. It was a future she couldn't wait to start when she returned.

Jo looked down; she jumped as the infant kicked her hard in the ribs. "Now now, that hurts, little one. No kicking, okay?" She scolded gently, as the baby returned to her contented nursing. Jo watched in silence as her daughter's small mouth pursed, drinking in the sweet milk from her mother's breast. After a moment, Jo reached up and gently ran her fingers over the baby's head, brushing against the downy black curls.

_She looks so much like... like Zane... and... and me..._

Her breath caught as she gently started rocking back and forth. The baby watched her with Zane's blue gaze, recognition sparking as she stared at her mother. Jo felt a small smile tug at her mouth, and tenderly, she reached up, gently brushing her finger against the baby's cheek. The infant squirmed for a moment before continuing to nurse, and Jo momentarily lost herself in the miracle in her arms.

"Can we go see Uncle Carer? Please?" She looked up, to see Zane laying on his back, their daughter sitting on his chest, triumphant that she managed to outsmart her father. He tilted his head back, looking at Jo. He puffed out his cheeks.

"What happened?" Jo asked, intrigued.

"She's stronger than she looks. I think she might be a black belt in seven different types of martial arts. She had me taken out in a matter of minutes." He said, a spark of playfullness glinting in his blue eyes. Clearly, he was playing along for his daughter's sake. Jo chuckled softly.

"She must be."

"Daddy! You didn't answer! Can we go see Uncle Carer?" The child cried, bringing Zane's attention back to her. He thought a moment, before sitting up, and settling her in his lap.

"Not today, sweetheart, okay? Maybe in another couple of days. Let's give Mommy another week to rest and catch up, and then we'll see about visiting Uncle Carter, okay?" The child pouted, but eventually nodded. "Good. Now, why don't you downstairs. Mommy and I will be down soon." The child nodded, getting up and leaving the room. Zane watched her go, before climbing to his feet. "She's quite the hellion, but she's ours." He told Jo, going to her and capturing her lips in a quick kiss. "And you are going to be just like her someday." Zane whispered softly as he gently brushed his fingers over his daughter's head. His eyes softened as he watched their daughter eat. "They're the most precious things in my life." He looked up at Jo. "With the exception of you. _You_ are by far, the most important, most precious thing in my life."

She gave him a small smile, praying that her Zane would think of her that way someday.


	12. Chapter 12

**R****ifiuto: Non Miriena**

"They're both sound asleep and tucked in their beds." She turned her head, to see him enter their room and make his way to the bed. She sighed, turning back to face the wall. A moment passed before she felt the bed shift as he joined her; the feel of his strong arms going around her body sent chills up her spine, sparks through her blood. On instinct, she turned around, eagerly awaiting his kiss. Smirking, he didn't deny her, and leaned down, capturing her lips in a deep, passionate kiss.

She pulled him closer, running her hands down his back and over his backside as his tongue eagerly took to exploring every inch of her mouth. He nibbled gently on her lower lip, running his teeth along it slowly. A hand reached up, tangling in her long hair, and he pulled her close, tugging until she lay on top of him. A soft groan escaped his throat, and she smiled against his lips; be it old timeline or new, hers or another Jo's, Zane's reaction was still the same.

The spark between them still sparked, flickering and igniting with a passion that transcended time and space.

In any and all timelines, they were meant to be.

She broke the kiss, moving her lips to brush kisses along his jawline and down the length of his throat. He rolled his eyes back and groaned, his hands going to her hips and holding her against him. She didn't bother hiding her smile, as she continued her torture before returning her lips to his.

"Oh Jo..." Eventually, however, they stopped their activity and settled down; she curled up on his chest, running her hand the length of his arm before reaching down and tangling their fingers together. He pressed a kiss to her hair, rubbing her back. "I love you, you know that?"

She shifted, nuzzling against his chest, silent. _And I love you. Just a... a different... you._

"You know, when I first came to Eureka, I thought this was the worst place in the world to be. A crappy little town, with small-minded small town people, who shunned outsiders. Never mind that they were geniuses. I never fit in, genius or non. I was always different. Always the one to stay away from. Trouble. That's all anyone ever saw me as, from the time I was ten. Sure, my mom loved me, that was pretty much a given. Dad didn't give a damn, didn't want a kid to begin with, and left us." He sighed, drawing circles on her back. "My dad wasn't what you'd call, reliable. So I learned to rely on myself."

He glanced down at her. She lifted her head briefly, locking eyes with him. "Ah..." He waited. She shut her mouth, shaking her head. "Never mind." Then, she settled back on his chest, snuggling down. He chuckled softly.

"I'm sorry, I tend to ramble." They lapsed into silence for several minutes, before, "I turned to petty crime to fill the void of my dad leaving. Stealing, hacking, little things. Nothing major. I gave Mom nothing but grief. Graduated high school at thirteen, accepted to MIT at fourteen, expelled. Yale, expelled. Columbia, Harvard, Brown. Expelled. Penn, Dartmouth, Cornell, Princeton- all expelled from by the time I was seventeen. So I moved to New York, bounced around Manhattan for a time, working odd jobs, hacking into computer systems for fun. Eventually, I went up to Alberta; worked oil rigs for a while. Had a cousin up there that ran an oil company, gave me a position." A sigh escaped his lips. "One afternoon," He swallowed, struggling to find the right words. "there was an accident. I don't remember much, just... one minute, I'm working on the rig, and the next, I'm in the hospital, the doctors telling me that they might have to amputate my right leg."

She could hear the tears gathering in his voice, and squeezed his hand gently, nuzzling into his chest. _I never knew-_

"It took me... six months of rehabilitation therapy to be able to walk. Afterwards, I left Alberta and returned to Boston. Returned to hacking; eventually got caught. Taken to FBI headquarters, and Allison shows up, offering me a place in Eureka. Carter and I didn't get along when I first got there. Neither did you and I."

She chuckled softly, nuzzling into his neck. She remembered their first meeting well. He'd offered to sleep with her, and she'd tried to shoot him. Carter had gotten in the way.

"But we got through it. Fell in love. Got married. And now..." He sighed. "Now we've got two beautiful girls to raise." She pushed herself up to look into his eyes. "And I couldn't ask for anything more wonderful." He kissed her gently. She gave him a small smile, before laying beside him. He buried his face in her neck, breathing in her scent. "Dy gets more like you every day." He whispered against her skin.

She swallowed, reaching up to tangle her fingers in his hair. She spent several minutes scratching his scalp, tugging gently every so often, eliciting a soft moan from his lips. He sighed, pressing a kiss to the inside of her arm. They lay for several minutes in silence, before he said,

"I can't imagine my life without you, Jojo." She tensed. "If I lost you... I wouldn't be able to live." Her fingers tightened on his hair, and after a minute, he reached up, gently untangling them. Then, he turned her around until she was facing him. "Hey, what's a matter? You all right, Jo? You haven't said much all day." She closed her eyes, sighing.

"I... I know... and I... I'm sorry... I just..." She reached out, laying her hands on his chest. Her fingers worked between the buttons on his shirt, slipping over his skin, and she inhaled a shaky breath. "I'm just... I'm tired... I... I'm just tired." He watched her, listening. Then, he reached up, brushing a strand of hair off her cheek.

"Are you sure that's the only thing bothering you?"

_No._

"Yes."


	13. Chapter 13

**R****ifiuto: Non Miriena**

"Well, your vitals are good. Everything's fine." Jo looked up, staring into Allison's eyes. It had been nearly two months since she'd arrived in this new time, since her daughter had been born, and now she sat in the infirmary, waiting for Allison to clear her. "I'm gonna clear you-"

"So I can go back to work?" Jo asked. The good doctor chuckled softly.

"No. You're not well enough to return to work yet. But as for... _other_ things..." She glanced at Zane, who sat with Brooke in his arms; Dylan sat next to him, making funny faces at her sister. "you can go ahead and do them." Jo nodded.

"Thank you." Allison smiled at her, taking her hand. "Um... Allison?" Dr. Blake turned back, becoming alarmed at the look on Jo's face.

"Is something wrong?" The young mother bit her lip.

"Can we... talk? Privately?" After a moment, Allison led Jo to a secluded corner of the infirmary.

"What's wrong, Jo?" She bit her lip.

"Um..." She glanced over Allison's shoulder, seeing Zane and the girls. A moment passed, before she shook her head. "Nothing. Thanks Allison." She moved past the woman, going to her small family. Dylan reached up, wrapping her arms around Jo's neck as she knelt down. As they left, Jo cast one last glance towards Allison, who stopped at the fear in the woman's eyes.

The ride home was quiet, save for Dylan's constant chatter to her little sister. "Daddy, can we stop at Cafe Diem?" She asked. Zane glanced at her in the rearview mirror.

"Sure sweetheart." They pulled up in front of the cafe, and the child eagerly got out. "Jojo. _Jo_!"

"Sorry, what?" She asked, tearing her gaze from the window.

"Coming in? Or are you gonna sit out here?" She stared at him for a moment before realizing. Then, she got out, waiting for Zane as he joined her, Brooke's carrier in his hands. The cafe was exactly the same as in her timeline. She quickly scanned the area, her eyes landing on Carter sitting at the counter. A grin lit her face as she hurried to him.

"Hey partner! How ya holding up?" The sheriff turned, mouth full of maple bar, eyes wide in shock. Jo laughed, wishing she'd had her camera. It took a few minutes as Carter set his bar down and swallowed the mouthful, before wiping his hands on a napkin and getting up.

"Jo! You're finally up and about!" He wrapped her in a hug, rubbing her back. "About time! It's been nearly two months! Then again, considering you had another one of Donovan's spawn, I'm not surprised."

"Oh that's real nice, Carter!" Zane replied, setting the baby's carrier down on the floor before taking a seat.

"I'm kidding, Zane. You know I love those girls." The older man replied, as Dylan threw her arms around Carter's waist and hugged him. He hugged her back, kissing the top of her head before kneeling down. "And how are you, Brooke? Have you and Mommy been bonding?" He cooed as he unbuckled her from the carrier and scooped her up. The baby squeaked and reached out, grabbing onto Carter's nose.

"Oh, is that the little one? Oh Jo, Zane, she's gotten so big! How old is she now?" Jo turned to see Vincent come up to the counter.

"Two months." Zane replied, accepting the vinspresso Vincent set in front of him. Jo sighed, taking a seat between the sheriff and her husband. She smiled at Vincent as he set lunch in front of them.

"What is it, Jo?" Vincent asked. She shook her head.

"Nothing. Nothing at all. It's just... nice to see this place again." She said, looking around. The men shared confused looks. "You know, because I've... been on leave for... the last two months since... since Brooke was born... and... still have two more months of... leave." She finished with a blush, slowly digging into her salad.

"Feeling alright, Jo? You act like you just came to Eureka." Carter observed. Jo sat up straight, turning to look at him as she choked on her coffee.

"No, I... I mean... I... I'm fine. I feel fine, Carter just..." She licked her lips. "It... it's been a long... couple of months... on leave. I've been... clawing at the walls, trying not to lose my sanity, you know?" She asked, giving him a strained smile.

_And trying to find a way to get back home. To MY home._

Carter nodded, glancing at Zane before turning his attention back to the baby. They lapsed into silence for several minutes, before Jo glanced over her shoulder at Carter. He looked the same, sounded the same, most likely acted the same... He just looked older. She thought a moment, before deciding to try something.

"So, Carter... how's... Zoe doing?" She looked at Zane before turning back to Carter. The older man managed to tear his gaze from the baby in his arms, turning his attention to Jo.

"Um... good. She... she's doing good. She's really enjoying the graduate program at Harvard. She's going to come back and do her residency here at GD. Why?" She shrugged.

"Just curious." She replied, turning back to lunch. So this _was_ truly an alternate timeline. She hadn't been fully sure, but now, she was absolutely positive. In her time, Zoe wasn't even at Harvard yet- the girl had just recieved early acceptance into the school's pre-med program, and was preparing to leave before Founder's Day. And in the timeline she'd been in before, Zane and Zoe had been dating over the summer- even when _she_ and Zane were sleeping together.

"Do you think you can survive without the Head of Security and I around to contain the mess?" Zane asked as they headed out to the car after lunch. Carter, who had followed to help with the baby, nodded, rocking back on his heels.

"We'll be okay, Zane." He turned to Jo. "I look forward to having you back again, Jo. I miss my partner." Jo gave him a small smile.

"Don't worry, Carter. Zane and I will be back in two months." Carter sighed.

"Yeah, I know. I'm not as excited about Zane coming back as I am about you coming back."

"Thanks Carter!" Zane called as Jo climbed into the car, laughing.


	14. Chapter 14

**R****ifiuto: Non Miriena**

**A/N: Yes, this skips ahead to the end of her leave, but there's a reason for that, and there's a reason why this takes place at home instead of at work.**

She turned, finding herself looking into Zane's blue eyes. For a moment, it was like she was home, back in her time. He smiled at her, reaching out to thumb her bottom lip, a glimmer of mischief sparking in his eyes. She couldn't help smiling back. "Morning beautiful."

"Morning."

Their lips met in a deep, thorough kiss that caused goosebumps to break out on her skin. She took a deep breath, breathing him in, as her arms went around his neck. She sighed, content, as he moved from her lips to her neck, nipping gently at the soft skin, nibbling briefly on her ear. She jumped from her relaxed state when he bit hard on her neck.

"Ow! Zane!" He chuckled gently, reaching up to gently brush his fingers over the bruise that was starting to form against the gorgeous olive of her skin. It would be completely mottled the next morning, if not early this afternoon- a sign that she was his. "That hurt!"

"I'm sorry, babe. I didn't mean to bite." She shoved him.

"You bite and I'll bite back!" She replied, grinning. He laughed, pushing her onto the bed and pinning her down.

"I look forward to it." He whispered, his lips inches from her. She stared at him, before leaning up and capturing his lips in a deep kiss...

She awoke with a start; Zane shifted and sighed in his sleep, settling back against her. She glanced quickly over her shoulder at the man sound asleep next to her in the bed. He was spooned around her, his arms tight around her small waist, their hands laced together. He buried his face in her hair, breathing her name in his sleep. She reached up, brushing her fingers over her neck, finding nothing. No bruise, no pain.

She lay back, letting her thoughts take hold. For a moment, she'd been back in her time, with her Zane. They'd been making love early in the morning, before work. She swallowed, whimpering softly. How had this gone _so_ wrong? She knew where she wanted to go, to which Eureka she needed to return to, and yet- somehow- she'd ended up in this new, stranger Eureka, where she and Zane were married and had two children together. She wanted this, she did, but not now, and not with this Zane.

With her Zane.

She slowly turned around, to find him watching her, his blue eyes sleepy. "What is it?" She asked softly.

"You were crying. What's wrong?" He asked, reaching over and brushing a tear off her cheek. She reached up, feeling the tears on her skin.

"I... I'm sorry, I... I didn't realize... I didn't mean to wake you..."

"Jo, what's going on? You've been acting strange for the last four months." Zane said, propping himself up on his elbow. "I know Brooke's birth was hard on you, but... memory loss... that doesn't come with childbirth. Not that I'm aware of, anyway. I was with you during lamazze, and I'm pretty sure memory loss wasn't one of the symptoms. Depression, anxiety, yes, but not... not that. And you have nothing to be anxious over; this isn't our first rodeo, babe. You've done this before, remember?" He asked, rubbing her arm gently. She shook her head.

"No. No, I... I don't remember." She said, sitting up and climbing out of bed. She pulled on her robe, taking a seat on the edge of the bed. "I... I don't remember... because..." She bit her lip. If she was going to be discovered and sanctioned, she might as well let Zane know why. It was now or never. She couldn't keep up the charade anymore, not when she was decieving the man she loved. Granted, an older, more mature version of him, but still, him. She took a deep breath, looking down at the wedding ring on her hand.

She'd wanted this, when she and Zane were dating. So, _so_ badly. But she'd never allowed herself to hope. And now that she had it, she was throwing it away. But if it meant keeping Zane and the girls safe, then she'd do it. She'd expose her secret, and go quietly.

"Because why, Jojo?" She choked out a gasp as Zane slid his hands over her shoulders, rubbing them gently. That simple action tugged at her heart. "You can tell me, you know you can." He turned her to face him, reaching up and wiping away her tears. "It's okay. Tell me, sweetheart."

She bit her lip.

"I... I can't... I..." She got up, pacing. "Okay... here goes nothing... everything..." She took a deep breath. "I... love you, Zane, you know that, right?" He started to answer, but she stopped him. "The thing is, I'm in love with a... a different you. Another you. And... and we're... we're dating, we aren't married. And we... I... I'm still Carter's deputy, and your just a psychist at GD... and... and we've been dating for two years, and... and you proposed to me on Founders' Day... and then you stormed out, and I got sent back to nineteen forty-seven with Carter, Allison, Fargo, and Henry, and when we came back, we were in a different time, where I was Head of Security, and you and I had never dated, let alone gotten to the point where we were going to get married or have children! And... and I was _miserable_... I wanted to go home... to my time... so... so Henry fixed the bridge device and... and when I woke up, I thought I was home, and then... then when you told me that... that I'd had a baby... I've never had a baby! I want kids yes, but... not now! We were dating, not engaged! Not married and _certainly_ not parents!" She took a shaky breath, waving her hands around. "So I wake up here, in this new timeline, only to discover that it's _two thousand fifteen_, and I'm married to you and we have two kids and that I just had a baby... I'm a time traveler, and I'm going to be sanctioned when the government finds out, and I'm sorry because that takes the girls' mother away, but I was..." She broke down completely, turning to stare at him. _"I was just trying to get home. I'm so sorry, Zane! I'm so... sorry..._"

She buried her face in her hands, expecting to hear him calling the police, but instead, she felt his strong arms go around her, holding her to him. He stroked her back, holding her close, letting her cry.

"You have nothing to apologize for. You've done nothing wrong. To be honest, I'd figured as much, I just... was hoping I was wrong." He chuckled softly, pulling away to look at her.

"You had? How had you figured it out?" She asked, tears sliding down her cheeks. He shrugged.

"You'd been acting strange since you woke up that morning. At first, I thought it was just due to the birth. I thought you'd adjust and be back to your old self soon... it was the videos. When you said that you'd missed such a momentous event, that kind of... tipped me off. Not matter how much pain you were in, or how exhausted you were, you'd remember every moment, every contraction, every scream. The fact that you didn't... just confirmed it." He whispered, watching her closely. She lowered her head, sniffling. "Besides," He said, lifting her chin. "you couldn't come up with something that convoluted and tangled, no matter how much pain you'd been in a week earlier, or how long the labor lasted. And you went through the entire labor cold turkey- both. And even if you'd been on drugs, you still wouldn't have been able to come up with something that unfollowable. I was just... really, really, _really_ hoping I was wrong." He said, hands on his hips. She sighed, going to the bed and dropping onto it. Crossing her legs, she put her chin in her hand and looked up at him, sniffling.

"Are you going to turn me in?" He thought a moment, before taking a seat beside her.

"No."

"B-" He laid a finger over her lips.

"Shh. No. I'm not going to turn you in."

"W-" She started, but he pressed his finger firmer against her lips.

"Because. No matter what time you're from, you're still my wife, and the mother of my children, and I love you. I won't lose you, no matter what timeline you come from." He took her hand, lacing their fingers. "When we got married, we promised to be there for each other through sickness and health, through joy and sorrow, and good times and bad. As far as I'm concerned, this... is one of those times. Just because you're from another Eureka doesn't mean I don't love you, or cherish you any less. It's the same, no matter what timeline we're in."

"But-"

"You said it yourself. In your time, we were getting engaged. We'd have gotten married and had the girls eventually. It would have just taken us longer to straighten ourselves out. You just... happened to bypass all that and end up in a time where we were already married and had created our children, that's all. So you jumped ahead a few moves; skipped a few grades. Big deal." He tugged her chin up again when she lowered her head. "That _doesn't change the fact that I love you. It doesn't, Jo_. _It never will_. _Okay_?"

After a moment of letting his words sink in, she nodded, sniffling, locking eyes with him. "Okay."


	15. Chapter 15

**R****ifiuto: Non Miriena+**

**A/N: A + indicates _an original, pre-1947 timeline_ chapter. And yes, Jo is _not_ the _only_... alternate... in the original Eureka...**

She stared at him for a moment, trying to gauge the seriousness of the statement. "Huh... wh... _what_?" He licked his lips.

"We aren't married. And we don't have kids." Several minutes passed, before she got up, chuckling.

"I get it. This is some sort of prank, right? Sort of a... get back at your wife for wanting to go to the Founders' Day celebrations after I've given birth. Okay, I'll play along, Zane." She said, slipping out of the cell as Zane stared at her with a shocked expression in his eyes. After a moment, he got up, going to her.

"I'm not kidding, Jo. We're not married, and we _certainly_ don't have kids. In fact, I don't ever want kids." She turned at the change in tone. Suddenly, her dark eyes stormed up, and she took a step towards him. Something in her expression told him that he'd pushed the wrong button.

"Don't you _dare_ say that, Zane Donovan. You _love_ the girls. You were estatic when Dy was born. We finally had our family, remember?" His back hit the cell bars, and he stared into her eyes as she stepped up to him. After a moment, she slid her hands up his chest, tugging gently on his button down overshirt in that way she had. She stared into his eyes for several minutes, before leaning up and capturing his lips in a kiss.

It was deep, thorough- yet something felt off about it. Almost like it wasn't hers. Zane couldn't put his finger on it, and he didn't have time to consider the reason, because his knees gave out and he grabbed the bars behind him for support. Jo broke the kiss, laughing softly. He watched her, shock on his face. A grin was tugging at her lips, and she grabbed fistfuls of his shirt. "Glad I can still make you lose control of your vocal chords." She purred, leaning up to kiss him again. He gave into the kiss for a few minutes, eventually began to respond, until the door opened and Carter entered.

"What the hell? _Jo!"_ She pulled away, turning to the sheriff, eyes wide in shock for once during the entire psychotic senario. She stammered for a moment, before,

_"Carter!_ God, ever hear of _privacy_?" The sheriff stared at her like she'd lost her mind.

"Yes, but I never expected to come into my office and find you making out with the_ town felon_." She snorted, rolling her eyes as her arms snaked around Zane's neck.

"Don't you think you should drop the 'town's resident delinquent felon needs to keep his hands off my former deputy' act? They weren't major, and he didn't spend any time in prison. He's not a felon, just a bit of a delinquent, that's all. Nothing major. Hacked into a few systems, crashed the New York Stock Exchange-"

"Allegedly." Zane cut in. Jo glanced at him out of the corner of her eye.

"Nothing major that warrants the title of 'town felon.' Besides, since the girls have been born, he's become an even better man. He's quite grown up- sure, he has his moments, but that's what makes him Zane. It doesn't matter to me or the girls. He's their daddy, and they love him. And he's my husband. I wouldn't have him any other way." She spoke with such love, such faith, as she ran a hand up and down his chest, playing with the buttons on his shirt in that way she had. She looked up at him, all the trust and faith and love reflected in her eyes as she talked about him being a daddy. She gave him a quick smile, leaning up to kiss him. He accepted the kiss reluctantly, throwing a glance Carter's way.

_Get her the fuck away from me! She's lost her mind. I had nothing to do with it, I swear!_ _Just get her away from me!_

Sighing, Carter stuck his hands in his pockets. "Jo, can... can I talk to you for a minute?" She glanced over her shoulder at him.

"Sure Carter." She pulled away from Zane, but not before planting a lingering, deep kiss on his lips. She looked back at Zane, grinning as she followed Carter out onto the street. She didn't see Zane sag in relief against the cell bars.

Once they were outside, Carter led Jo down the street. They walked in silence for several minutes, before he glanced over at her, asking,

"Um... what... _the hell was that_? Back in the station?" She thought a minute, shrugging.

"I was just... telling my husband that I missed him, that's all. Why? You never had a problem with that when Zane and I were dating. But as soon as he slips that ring on my finger, suddenly you have to act like my dad." Carter turned to her.

"What are you talking about, Jo?_ You hate Zane!_ You can't stand to be in the same room with him, let alone consider kissing the man!" She snorted, continuing on.

"I don't hate him, Carter. Sure, he drives me nuts every chance he gets, and he's egotistical, overly-critical, and tends to run his mouth when he really shouldn't, but that doesn't mean I should hate the father of my children. I love him. I've always loved him, from the moment we met. I just never showed it then."

Carter stepped in front of her. "Wait a minute. _You hate Zane_! You always have, from the moment you met! _Have you met you_?"

She watched him, certain he'd lost his mind, before saying,

"Well, maybe I'm finally starting to enjoy the simple things in life, like spending time with my family." Carter raised his eyebrows, following her as they continued on.

"Jo, your brothers are all overseas-"

"I don't mean spending time with my brothers, Jack! I mean_ my_ family- my husband and my children! Maybe you need to try it sometime." She brushed past him. "Now if you'll excuse me, I owe someone a proper hello." She started past, but he grabbed her arm, turning her back to him.

"Jo, _listen to me_. Whatever delusion you've got playing out in your head- it isn't real. You and Zane aren't married. You aren't even_ dating_. And you _certainly_ don't have kids. You've never been pregnant- and certainly not by Zane." She stared at him, searching his face before roughly pulling away.

"You're wrong, Carter. I have two_ beautiful_ little girls that prove otherwise."


	16. Chapter 16

**R****ifiuto: Non Miriena**

**Thanks to mondler1998 for reviewing 12.**

"You excited to go back to work?" She looked up from buttoning her blouse. He was pulling on his suit jacket, adjusting the lapels, watching her in the mirror. She shrugged; she was still wary about Zane knowing her secret. But she was finally going back to work. She'd been Head of Security in the other timeline- the first timeline she'd jumped, not her original- and so she knew the ropes fairly well. After a moment, she sighed.

"I... I guess." She whispered, sitting on the bed and pulling her heels on. He went to her, kneeling in front of her and taking her hands.

"Jo, look at me." She did as told, meeting his gaze. "Are you okay? What are you thinking? What's going on behind those beautiful brown eyes of yours, babe?" She licked her lips, taking a deep breath.

"I... wh... what if they find out... that... that I'm a..." She stopped, unable to say the word. He squeezed her hands.

"They won't find out. I won't tell, and I intend to keep my promise."

"I know, but... but what if they figure it out..."

"As far as everyone at GD knows, you've been on four months of leave, and you're still getting your life back on track. Most of them don't have kids, but they know exhaustion and catching up when they see it. You'll be fine." He pressed a kiss to her forehead as he stood. "Ready?" She nodded, getting up and following. Jo and Zane dropped Brooke and Dylan off with Grace, who had readily agreed to look after the girls for the next few weeks while Jo got back into the swing of things at work. The girls with Grace, the pair stopped at Cafe Diem and picked up the coffee Vincent had for them.

"So, you're Head of Section Five?" Jo asked, as the couple passed through security check at the entrance to GD. Zane nodded to two of Jo's personnel as they passed, slipping his ID card back into his pocket. "Who appointed you?" Zane sipped his coffee as they made their way to the rotunda.

"Henry."

"Hen... why would... Henry's Director of GD?" She asked, turning to him and grabbing his arm. He nodded.

"Yeah." He said, raising his eyebrows before pulling away. "Wipe that look off your face. I was just as shocked when I recieved the pin." He continued across the rotunda, forcing Jo catch up.

"Wait! When..." She skidded to a stop, stepping closer to him. "When... did Henry appoint you?" Zane glanced around, enjoying the air of conspiracy Jo was currently wrapped in.

"A couple years ago. Not long after Dy turned two. You were already Head of Security by then. Henry offered you the position in oh-eight, and you jumped at it. We'd been dating little over a year then." Jo nodded.

"Why me?" Zane shrugged.

"Why _not_ you?" He responded. She glared at him, and he chuckled softly, sipping his coffee.

"Zane." He scoffed gently, leaning close.

"He chose you because he knew you were the best for the job. You were the most qualified, and the people in Eureka trust you. The scientists at GD trust you. Much more than they trust Carter. He was never one of us. You are." He whispered, the warmth of his breath tickling her ear. She looked up at him as he pulled away.

"And you because?" He thought a moment.

"Because Henry... Henry thought I would be the one that could keep Section Five under control. Every other head has either quit or... become obsessed with it... transferred somewhere else or... been killed off, and Henry thinks-"

"You have the potential to move Section Five in the right direction." Jo finished. He nodded.

"Exactly." He continued on, allowing her to fall into step beside him. Eventually, they came to her office. Jo hesitated, before Zane pulled her inside, allowing the doors to shut behind them before he wrapped his arms around her waist and kissed her. Their lips met, and she relaxed for several minutes, allowing him to kiss her, enjoying the feel of him tasting every nook and cranny of her mouth. When he finally pulled away, she was out of breath. She turned, only to stop in the middle of the room.

"Wow." Zane chuckled softly as he watched her take in the sophistication of her office, decked out in blacks and muted tones of greys and white. Her eyes landed on the awards she'd recieved, the flag and purple heart that she'd recieved when her brother Ricco had been killed in Iraq. After a moment, she went to the desk, her eyes running over the laptop, the chair between the two desks, and the photographs on the main one. She picked the closest one up.

Another of their wedding photos.

She was dressed in a strapless gown, with a sweetheart bodice cut and a corset back. The gown hugged her body until it got to her hips, and suddenly flared down dramatically to the floor. Lace overlay covered the dress, and ribbon lined the sweetheart top and waist, each ribbon gathering to meet at the middle with the diamond accents- on the bodice top, between her breasts and right in the middle below her breasts. The ribbons then went down and branched out, diamond accents sat in the middle of each ribbon near her knee before the ribbon continued on to the end of the lace overlay. The veil she wore came just to her elbows, and she wore her hair down in loose curls. She had her arms wrapped tight around his neck, and he had his arms around her waist; she was several inches off the ground. Their noses were pressed together, and they were grinning like idiots, not bothering to look at the camera.

"This is my... office..." Zane nodded, going to her.

"Yeah, it is." He looked around before wrapping her in his arms. He held her close, rubbing her back. Her next question was muffled against his shirt.

"Why are you doing this?"

"Because I enjoy feeling you in my arms."

"No. I mean, why are you doing this? Keeping my secret instead of turning me in?" She looked up at him, worry in her eyes. He took a deep breath, taking her face in his hands.

"Because I love you. In any timeline."

She gave him a small smile, before leaning up to capture his lips in a kiss.


	17. Chapter 17

**R****ifiuto: Non Miriena**

She ran her hands down his chest, resting her fingers over his heart. He broke the kiss, brushing his lips over her eyelids before resting them against her forehead.

"Ah, Jo, glad to see you're-" The pair turned, to see Henry enter her office. A blush crept into her cheeks, and she pulled away from Zane- or tried to. He kept her close, an arm going around her waist. "Glad to see you're back on your feet. How're the girls?" Henry asked, a small smile on his face as he watched the younger couple.

"They're doing good. Left them with Grace-"

"I heard. She's quite excited to have the girls for the day." Henry said.

"Henry, have you-" Everyone turned to see Fargo, followed by Allison and Carter. "Oh, hey, Jo!" Jo smiled at the other man, biting her lip. Henry sighed.

"A director's work is never done." He said, turning from the pair. He joined Fargo, leaving Jo and Zane alone. She turned back to him.

"Is Fargo Henry's assistant?" She whispered. Zane shook his head.

"Head of Section Eight." Jo pulled away from him.

_"What?"_ The others all turned to look at her.

"You okay, Jo? Something wrong?" Allison asked, coming to the pair. She reached out, brushing her fingers over the younger woman's forehead. Jo tried pulling away, to no avail.

"Yeah, I... I'm just... trying to get back into the swing of things. You know how that is, right, Allison? You've had kids." Allison nodded, watching Jo. After a moment, Allison said,

"Maybe you should come down to the infirmary later and I'll check over you just to be safe. You _did_ just give birth four months ago, after all, and it is draining on you, whether you've just had the baby, or had the baby months earlier. So how about we head down and I'll check you out real quick, okay?" Jo glanced at Zane.

"Um, that's okay, Allison. She's okay." The older woman turned to look at the Head of Section Five.

"You sure?" Zane nodded.

"Yeah, she's just... just worried about not being able to get back on routine. Brooke's birth was... hard on her. Give her time to adjust. She'll be fine." Allison turned to Jo, who nodded.

"All right. But if you think you're wearing yourself out, come down and see me." Jo nodded, promising that she would. "It's good to have you back, Jo." She pressed a kiss to Jo's cheek, before leaving. Fargo and Henry had finished their conversation, and Fargo also left, heading back down to Section Eight, but not before giving Jo a quick hug. Once the two were gone, only Carter and Henry remained in Jo's office, watching the young couple as Jo went to her desk. Zane went to her, leaning down to kiss her quickly.

"So, you settling back into routine?" Carter asked, going to Jo's desk. The young woman sighed and sat back in her chair.

"I think so. It just... it takes a lot out of you, kids." Carter chuckled and nodded.

"I know." A moment passed in silence, before Henry said,

"Glad you're back, Jo. If you ever need any help with the baby, let either Grace or I know. Okay?" She nodded, smiling.

"Thank you, Henry." He nodded to her before slipping out of the office. Carter watched the young couple, before sighing and turning to go.

"I'll see ya, Jo. Coffee later?" Carter asked, she nodded. Once he was gone, Jo turned back to Zane.

"You aren't going to tell them, are you?" He shook his head.

"It's our secret." She relaxed, smiling softly at him. He leaned down. "I've gotta go. Love you, babe." He kissed her quickly, before heading down to his own office, leaving her alone with her thoughts and her fears.


	18. Chapter 18

**R****ifiuto: Non Miriena***

**Thanks to mondler1998 for reviewing 39.**

She watched him walk away, hands in his pockets, head down. While every nerve in her body, every vein, every muscle, was humming.

"Josie? Josie, you okay?" She turned when Lan laid a hand on her shoulder. She nodded.

"Yeah. I... Fine." After a moment, she turned, climbing into her car, before putting it in reverse. The other three pulled away, watching as she drove off without a wave. Blythe sighed.

"There's something going on with that girl."

"I think she's spooked." Lan said. "Donovan spooked her like a cat up a tree." Tam glanced at Rowley, who shrugged, rolling her eyes. They were used to Lan's Southern sayings; the girls had practically grown up in south Georgia. They watched her drive off; only Gwen had an incling about what had scared Jo so much.

She pulled into her parking space at GD thirty minutes later, cutting the engine and taking a deep breath.

_What_ the _hell_ was wrong with her?

She should have shoved Donovan away when he'd grabbed her, but instead, she'd been unable to move. And when his lips had crashed onto hers, all blood, all air, all rational thought to her brain had been cut off. Her brain had screamed for more when he'd pulled away, her traitorous body had ached and longed for his touch again, crying when he pulled away. The feel of his arms around her, his hands running the smooth length of her back, the pressure of her hips against his as he held her close... it had felt so..._ so_...

Words didn't even begin to describe it.

She'd felt sparks, to put it simply.

She closed her eyes, leaning her head against her steering wheel. Her knuckles were small, dull pinpricks, against her forehead, and she prayed that they would tell her brain to start making sense. Logical, actual sense. A deep breath escaped her lips, and she let her mind wander.

His fingers grazed the skin of her bare shoulders, and she shivered. Her skin began to tingle from his touch, and she turned to glance behind her. The water sprayed around them, hitting her exposed skin like waves crashing upon the ocean. His hand moved down the length of her spine, and she turned, running her hands up his bare chest. He pulled her close as his arms went around her waist, and she tilted her head to look up at him; his blue eyes danced with delight. She gently tapped his chin, laughing softly for no reason.

Their lips brushed together gently, before deepening, and he reached up to tangle a hand in her hair as he pulled her closer. With each brush of his skin against hers, her pulse raced. With each kiss, her heart skipped. She got more and more light-headed, until she became completely drunk when his lips brushed her neck. He nicked gently at the soft skin of her neck, and she sighed in delight. She wound her arms around his neck, tipping her head back to give him better access. He pulled her flush against him, moving his hands around her hips-

The blaring of a car horn pulled her out of her fantasy, and she sat up, gasping. It took her a few minutes to realize that _her_ car was the one who's horn was blaring, and that_ she_ was the one with her hand on the button. She quickly pulled away, taking her fingers off the horn and sitting back, taking deep breaths to calm her racing heart. She looked around; she wasn't in the shower, she was in her car, in GD's parking garage. She wasn't with Donovan. She was alone.

But the feel of his lips on hers, of the sparks she'd felt, still tingled on her skin. A moment passed in silence as she climbed out her car, shaking and dizzy. The mere fact that a man like Donovan could cause such a reation to her traitorous body astounded her. The fact that she longed to feel his lips on hers, to feel his hands on her body again, was just a sign that he had her under his control. And the fact that she'd _fantasized_ about being in the _shower_ with him-

_That,_ was an absolute betrayal of the_ highest_ order.

She slammed the driver's side door harder than she mean to, and stormed through the connected parking lot into GD. She swiped her ID through the slot, stormed across the rotunda, barely noticing the scientists that scrambled to get out of her way. Obviously something pissed off the Head of Security; they all knew it and knew to keep out of the way, lest they face some sort of spree tasing. She ignored Fargo, who was headed her way, and made a beeline for her office.

"Good morning, Chief Lupo."

She didn't even acknowledge the sentiment; she stormed down the steps into the main area of her office, only to stop dead in her tracks. Something was wrong. Something felt off. _Very_ off. It took little under five seconds for her to draw her gun from her back, and silently, she advanced towards her desk, slowly raising her weapon. Her breath caught, and she forced herself to remember to breathe. As she got closer, the person sitting in her desk chair began to turn around, and she raised her weapon, cocking the hammer, her finger slipping down towards the trigger-

"Josefina!" She jumped, managing to remove her finger from the trigger of her gun in time to keep from putting a .380 millimeter hole in his chest. Carter grinned at her, lacing his fingers together. She sighed; at that moment, she really _did_ want to shoot him. She restrained herself.

_"Jesus, Carter, don't do that!"_ She replaced the hammer and put her gun back in the holster at her back. She pulled her jacket back down, smoothing it out as she spoke. "What are you doing here, anyway? I thought you were supposed to be working. Patroling the town and the like." He shrugged.

"I am. But, I decided that I wanted to come see my old partner. That a crime?" She thought a moment, hands on her hips.

"No. But I should make it." Carter stared at her, wide-eyed, but she grinned. He relaxed after a moment, putting his hands behind his head. "So you wanted to come see your old partner, huh?" He nodded. "Any... particular reason _why_?"

Carter thought a moment. "I saw that kiss on the sidewalk." Her face fell, and she narrowed her eyes.

"You and the entire town." She took a seat across from him, deciding it was better to let him have her seat than fight him on it. Besides, after nearly shooting him, he deserved it. At least for a while. She thought a moment, licking her lips. "Do you know... _why_ Donovan kissed me?"

Carter seemed to hesitate a moment. She watched him, noticing the range of emotions stampeding across his face, though he tried so hard to hide them. She could see the two lone wheels in his head, struggling to kick-start amid the dust and cobwebs to think of some sort of lie or elaborate explanation to give her. She waited, eyebrows raised.

"Um... ah... we... well... you... you see... I..." He stammered for several minutes, before finally falling silent. She chuckled softly; typical Carter, unable to think of a good, plausible, _believable_ excuse on the spot. No wonder he was still the sheriff, and she'd been moved up into a higher position.

_"Well?"_ Carter shrugged.

"Maybe he just wanted to kiss you?"

"'Just wanted to kiss me?' Right. That's _really_ hard to believe." He shrugged. How was he supposed to tell her that the Zane _she_ knew was in love-

With another version of her?

A kinder, gentler, more loving version of her?

Exactly _how_ would _this_ Jo react?

And more importantly, would she_ tell_?

He sighed, watching her. She sat, waiting. Eventually, he sat up, staring into her eyes. "Jo, I have to tell you something. But... you have to let me talk. And... promise to listen and consider everything I tell you. Consider the consequences, Jo. Lives depend on it."


	19. Chapter 19

**R****ifiuto: Non Miriena**

Her first day back from leave was pretty uneventful- by Eureka standards, anyway. No major explosions, no life-threatening computer viruses, no wormholes. The only thing Jo had to worry about was a leak of helium gas in Section Three. Not life-threatening, just... _annoying_.

However, she spent a good majority of her time looking over her shoulder, thinking everyone knew or had discovered her secret, and that the military was coming for her at any moment. When she slipped down to Zane's office to join him for lunch, she ran into one of the personnel on her team, screamed, and proceeded to become a blubbering mess that brought everyone from the nearest lab- including Zane from his office- out into the hall. Zane had gone right to her, taking her to his office to lie down, saying that the birth had worn her down more than anything, and that, coupled with having to leave the baby in Dr. Monroe's care for more than an hour to work a full shift at work, had strung her nerves tighter than a harp, thereby sending her into immediate panic.

Though most of the scientists didn't have kids of their own, they knew the stress of a new situation well enough to not press and left her alone. Gently, Zane guided her to his office, whispering soft words of relaxation to her, trying to get her to at least calm down enough to take a breath. Once the doors slid closed behind them, Zane led her to the sofa in his office, sitting her down gently and rubbing wide circles on her back.

"Jo, I need you to calm down. Take a breath, okay? Breathe." She did as told, taking several struggling breaths through her tears. "That's a good girl. That's my good girl. That's it. Now, do you mind telling me what that was all about?" He asked calmly, never stopping his rubbing of her back. She took a deep breath, looking up at him.

"I... I ran into... one of my... my personnel and... and for a moment, I thought he was going to... to..." She stopped, wiping tears off her cheeks.

"Sanction you?" She nodded. "I'm so sorry." He whispered, pulling her into his arms. He pressed a kiss to the top of her head, breathing in her scent. "I can't imagine the torment you're going through; always looking over your shoulder isn't fun, I know that. But you've done nothing wrong, Jo. You're not at fault." She pulled away to look at him.

"How can you say I'm not at fault, Zane? I'm a _time traveler! Twice over!_ At this point, I _deserve_ to be sanctioned!" She cried, getting up. Zane opened his mouth to reply, but she ignored him, continuing on. "It's _my_ fault! I should have just stayed in that time and learned to live with it, but no! I had to try and get back to my time! I just _couldn't let sleeping dogs lie_, and now, I'm in this new time, with this new life, and... and I have no memory of it! And what's worse? I've not only put you at risk, but I've risked the girls by taking not just their mom, but their dad away too! I can't do that to those girls! Sure, I don't remember them, but that doesn't mean I don't love them! I've screwed everything up!"

She continued to pace, throwing her hands up in that familiar Italian gesturing that Zane had become so accustomed to- and silently loved about his wife- going back and forth in the middle of the office, wearing a trench in the floor. She muttered something unintelligible in Italian under her breath, not bothering to look at him.

"Then again, can you really blame me? That's all I've done lately is screw up! My life is a complete disaster! It's like I told Fargo in the other timeline- no fiancee and no job equals just about as much change as I can take-"

"But we aren't engaged, we're-" Zane started, to which Jo held up a slender hand.

"And then, I find out that I'm Head of Security in that time- but still, no love life to speak of! You hated me, and I tried. I _tried_ to let you go! I really did! And then I saw you with Zoe, and that just about killed me, but I backed away, figuring that dieing of a broken heart would be better than living in that crap timeline without you-"

"Wait a minute? _Zoe?"_ Zane cried. She turned to him, cut off in the middle of her rant. He'd climbed to his feet and now leaned against his desk, arms crossed. She nodded. He struggled for several minutes to wrap his brain around what Jo was telling him. "Let me get this straight..." He started. _"ZOE?_ As in... little Zoe? Little minature Carter? Pre-med Carter? The one with the brain? _That_ Zoe?"

Jo nodded. "Yes. _That_ Zoe." She parroted. He raised his eyebrows.

"What would I ever see in her? I mean, sure, she's cute, but in a... teeny-bopper-Britney-Spears-before-the-shaved-head way." He thought a moment. "Okay, so we're both attractive, we've both got... criminal-esque backgrounds. But other than that, she's more of a sister than a love interest. And considering how close you two are, I'd never _dream_ of coming between you. Besides, the only spark I feel is with you- whenever you're around or even in my thoughts. So the Zoe Thing? Yeah, never happening. In any timeline."

"Yeah, well, it _did_ happen. And it broke my heart." Jo replied, wiping fresh tears off her cheeks. Zane chuckled. _"It wasn't funny!"_ He snorted softly.

"The fact that _Zoe_ could come between you and I- when I'm so absolutely, completely, totally mesmerizingly in love with you, is just... riduculous. It's so ridiculous it's funny. No matter what you think, from where I'm standing, it's pretty damn hilarious."

She took a deep breath. "Yeah, well, not from where I'm standing."

"Hey. Come here." She went to him, and he wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her to him. "Just because it happened in _that_ timeline, doesn't mean it happened in this one. I _chose_ you. Because I _love. you_. That other Zane is an _idiot_ for not seeing how wonderful and perfect for him you are. Don't worry about it, okay? You're in a timeline with a Zane that _does_ love you- and loves you enough that he married you and had children with you. I love you, Jo, and I can't imagine my life without you in it." He searched her face for several moments, before reaching up to cup her cheek. "Without you, I have no life."


	20. Chapter 20

**R****ifiuto: Non Miriena**

"Mommy!" Jo knelt down, as the child threw her arms around her neck.

"Did you have fun with Auntie Grace today, baby?" Dylan nodded.

"We made cookies and watched _The Swan Princess_ and went to the park." Jo smiled at her.

"Really? That's great, sweetie." She stood, turning as Zane joined them after putting Brooke's carrier in the car.

"Go tell Auntie Grace bye and then we'll go get dinner and head home, okay, sweetheart?" Zane said, hugging the child. "You doin' okay?" He wrapped an arm around her waist as they watched Dylan rush back to the house and give Grace a hug. Jo nodded.

"Yeah."

"How were they?" Zane asked as Grace followed Dylan to the car.

"They were little angels." Grace replied. Zane raised his eyebrows.

"Angels? Seriously?" Jo raised her eyebrows, surprised.

"They're Zane's kids, Grace. The two are hellions, no matter how old." Grace chuckled.

"Maybe so, but they do have their angelic moments." Zane rolled his eyes, scooping Dylan up and carrying her to the car.

"Thanks Grace, we owe you big." She waved it away.

"Don't worry about it, Zane. It's my pleasure."

"Even so, you have a job too. And we don't want to keep you from your work at GD any longer than we have to." Grace rolled her eyes.

"It's no problem, Zane. Really." He shook his head, realizing that he wasn't going to get anywhere. Jo squeezed his hand before going to the older woman.

"Thanks again, Grace. We'll see you tomorrow." Jo whispered, giving Grace a hug.

"Are you okay, Jo?" Grace asked, grabbing her arm as she moved to buckle Dylan into the car. Jo turned back to her. Grace watched, silent. Worry filled her dark eyes, and she examined Jo, looking for anything that would give her a hint as to what was going on in the young mother's mind. Jo stared into her face for several minutes; she tried to think of some elaborate excuse, but in the end, all she could muster was,

"Yes, I'm fine. Why?" Grace shrugged.

"You just look..." The older woman bit her lip. "Never mind. Go home and get some sleep, Jo. You look exhausted." Jo nodded.

"It's been an exhausting day." She whispered. After a moment, Grace hugged her, rubbing her back before letting Jo climb into the car. The small family stopped at Cafe Diem, grabbed dinner and headed home to enjoy it without the added chitchat of the other patrons. She and Zane listened as Dylan talked continuously about her day, sitting next to each other at the dining room table. Zane hooked his foot around Jo's ankle, tugging gently. She glanced up at him, giving him a small smile. It was familiar, welcoming, this...

Once their little family dinner was finished, and eight rolled around, they put Dylan to bed before retiring to their own room. Jo held Brooke in her arms as she sat in bed, waiting for Zane. The baby was nursing, her small blue eyes watching her mom intently.

"I'm so sorry, Brooke. So, so sorry. I didn't mean to take your parents away from you and Dylan. I just..." She sighed. "I don't know. I just... I guess I was just so desperate to get home to my time, that... that I haven't thought about how it would... affect you and Dylan... and... Zane... I deserve what I get, and I deserve to be sanctioned. I'll do all I can to keep Zane from being brought down with me, that way you have at least one parent..."

"They'll have two." She looked up, as Zane pushed himself away from the doorway. He ambled over to her, taking a seat beside her on the bed. "How many times do I have to tell you, Jo, the girls are going to grow up with both their parents? We aren't going anywhere. Neither you or I." He watched their daughter nurse contentedly at her mother's breast, reaching out to brush his fingers over her head, being careful of the tender spot in the middle.

"You can't know that." She whispered, watching the baby in her arms. "You can't know that we won't be taken away and killed." She said, looking up at him, sadness in her eyes. "That's what they do to time travelers- and anyone who knows about them." She turned her gaze back to the baby. "It's because of me that the girls are going to grow up orphans." Tears slipped down her cheeks, and she took a deep breath, looking up when Zane reached over and brushed it away.

"Jo, look at me." She tore her gaze from the baby, meeting his eyes. "Nothing is going to happen. Okay? You and I are going to stay here and raise our girls. We're not going anywhere. I promise." She nodded; after the baby had been fed and tucked within the blankets of her bassinet, the young couple curled up under the blankets, the stress of the day taking hold and lulling them both to sleep.


	21. Chapter 21

**R****ifiuto: Non Miriena**

**Thanks to mondler1998 for reviewing 16.**

"Has Jo been acting... strange lately?" Carter, Fargo and Henry looked up as Grace and Allison joined them. Two days had passed since Jo had returned to work, and the others were starting to realize that something wasn't right with their Head of Security.

"What do you mean?" Henry asked.

"I mean... strange. She's acting strange." Allison said as she took a seat next to Carter. Henry thought a moment.

"She did just have a baby four months ago, Allison. You yourself know how stressful childbirth and motherhood can be. And from what Zane's told me, the birth itself was pretty tough. Six hours of labor, three of delivery. Jo's tiny anyway, and that long a labor-" Henry sighed.

"She's strong, but even Jo's suceptible to pain. And nine hours of..." Carter shuddered.

"It's understandable that she's out of sorts; she's going to be for a while. Not only did she _just_ have a baby, but she's also gone off leave after four months and come back to work. The whole situation's stressful." Henry said.

"Yeah, but you guys didn't see the look on her face when she and Zane picked the girls up after work that day. She looked... tired, sure, but... there was something else. She looked..." Grace sighed. "Lost. Like she didn't know where she was or why she was here." She picked up her cup.

"And that day when she came in for her check-up, she... she asked if we could talk privately, and when we were alone, she changed her mind, like she was afraid someone was watching her or listening in. And when she and Zane left, she looked back and I... I saw fear in her eyes. Plain, exposed _fear_. It's like something's got her absolutely terrified."

"Ali, I'm sure she was just tired." Carter said. Allison shook her head.

"No. I've seen Jo tired, and I'm seen Jo afraid, and this was definately fear in her eyes. Something's going on with her."

"Ali-"

She leaned towards them all. "And I think Zane's in on it." Before anyone else could respond, the door opened and the couple in question entered, Dylan rushing ahead of them. Zane had Brooke's carrier, and he set it gently on the counter, taking the little girl out and giving her to Vincent, who proceeded to smother the infant with kisses. They watched as Zane caught sight of their group, and how he took Jo's hand, tugging her gently towards the table.

"There're the love birds. So... you're back on your feet." Carter said, grinning at Jo, who blushed, looking down at her shoes.

"I'm working on it." She replied, looking up at him. They could all see the forced smile she wore. After a moment, Zane rushed back up front to grab their drinks, pressing a kiss to Jo's cheek before he did so. She watched him go before turning to the small group. She looked nervous, down right terrified. Carter could see a light flush begin on her cheeks, and he noticed how she kept looking over her shoulder, towards the door. She worried her lip until she broke skin, her dark eyes darting from face to face.

"Something wrong, Jo?" Henry asked. The young woman looked up, eyes wide. She shook her head.

"No. I... I'm fine. Just... tired, that's all." She lapsed into silence, watching as Dylan climbed onto Carter's lap.

"Hey little one. How have you been?" Carter asked, looking down at her.

"Good." The child smiled up at him, and Jo watched her daughter, becoming lost in her own thoughts. She watched, saw how Carter made her laugh, how she had all of them wrapped around her finger. It made her yearn even more to get back to her own time and start her family with Zane.

"Well, I finally managed to get our daughter back from Vincent. Not that she was in any harm, but we're still her parents and we have to take care of her." She turned, to see Zane, a take out container in one hand and Brooke's carrier in the other. The baby gurgled happily, looking out at them all with wide blue eyes.

"Vincent won't hurt Brooke, he loves kids. And he absolutely adores the girls." Carter said. Zane nodded.

"I know. But it's late, and we have to get home. You ready?" He asked, glancing at Jo. She nodded.

"Yeah." She glanced quickly over her shoulder, eyes widening with fear.

"You okay, Jo?" Allison asked, watching the young woman carefully. Jo turned back to her.

"Yeah, I'm fine."

"You sure? You're acting kind of jumpy." Jo shook her head, taking a deep breath.

"I promise, Allison, I'm fine. Just tired. Nothing a little sleep won't cure." Zane chuckled softly, a look crossing his face that the others couldn't read.

"What?" Jo turned to look at Zane, who put on a straight face and leaned down to whisper,

"If I have any say, we won't be sleeping much tonight, and it won't be because of Brooke." A blush slathered her skin, and she turned to look up at him. He smiled to her, raising his eyebrows suggestively.

"If you think-"

"Allison cleared you completely," Zane cut in, wrapping an arm around her waist and tugging her to him. "So we can have all the fun we want. Besides, you were dying to make... what were your words?... 'wild, passionate, erotic love' with me a few months ago. And... I'm pretty sure whatever we do will be pretty erotic no matter how we slice it."

"Oh _please!_ Don't discuss your exploits here! The last thing we need to know is your favorite _sex positions_!" Carter said, looking sick. Zane rolled his eyes.

"We'll see you tomorrow, Carter." He said, picking up Brooke's carrier.

"Tomorrow?" Jo asked, turning to him.

"Henry's barbacue, remember?" She just stared at him, confused.

"Right... it's a... tradition, every year-"

"Mommy doesn't remember because she's not from here." Dylan said, climbing off Carter's lap and squeezing between her parents to rush out to the car. Jo paled.

"How... how did she..." Zane took her arm, gently guiding her away from the group.

"We'll discuss it when we get home, okay?" Once they were gone, Allison turned to the others. She took a deep breath.

"I'm not sure, but... I think... I think we have... a time traveler on our hands..."


	22. Chapter 22

**R****ifiuto: Non Miriena+**

She rushed home. She_ had_ to see the girls. She _had_ to make sure they were all right. She _had_ to hold them in her arms and kiss them, tell them she loved them, and that she always would. Something deep in the pit of her heart told her that there was something deeply,_ deeply_ wrong. She pulled into her driveway, clambered out of her car and up the steps, rushing into the house. AIDA swung the door shut gently behind Jo as she entered the living room.

"Good afternoon, Jo. Is something wrong? Your blood pressure has increased to a-"

"The girls! Where are the girls?" Jo cried, looking around. AIDA responded, puzzled. Or as puzzled as a house could get.

"Um... what girls, Jo?"

"The girls!_ My girls! Dylan and Brooke! My daughters_!"

"I'm sorry to inform you, Jo, but you have no daughters. You and Zane have been in a relationship for the past two years yes, and have consummated your union multiple times, but never, on any of those occasions, have you concieved children." The house did a quick internal scan of the young woman, just to make sure everything was okay, before, "And my results show that you have not-" AIDA stopped; it seemed that the house seemed to be studying something. "That is exceedingly strange." Jo held her breath. "My sensors indicate that..." Here, the house stopped again, and Jo could almost _hear_ it biting its lip in confusion.

"What? AIDA, what is it?"

"My... my sensors indicate that you... that you have indeed given birth recently." Jo dropped her hands, her palms hitting her sides.

"See, I_ told you_. Brooke. My little Brookelyn. She's... a week old, with the most beautiful blue eyes, just like Dylan and Zane-" She teared up briefly, before she sniffled and wiped them away, looking around. "They've_ got_ to be here. Brooke? Dy? Where are you baby?_ It's Mommy_!" She wandered the house, looking for her children before coming upon one of the bedrooms. Slipping inside, she expected to find Brooke sound asleep in her bassinet, only to find it decked out like a normal guest room. "Wh... this _can't_ be right." She choked out, tears gathering in her eyes. "A... AIDA, where are my girls? Where are my babies?" She crumpled to the floor, pulling her knees to her chest as shock and realization set in-

And it was there that Carter and the others found her, forty-five minutes later. "Come on, Josefina. Up we go." The sheriff helped the younger woman too her feet and led her downstairs, sitting her gently on the sofa. "You okay?" She didn't respond. Instantly, Allison started to look over her, checking her vitals and talking softly to her. "AIDA, what happened?"

"She rushed into the house, calling for two little girls that do not exist-"

"Dylan and Brookelyn." The others all turned to Zane, surprise and confusion on their faces. He stood, hands in his pockets, watching Jo. "She... told me about them in Carter's office during the celebrations. Said that... one was four and the other was... about a week old." He shrugged. "I humored her and then... broke the news that we don't have kids and aren't married, but... she seems to think we are."

Carter nodded. "So how... why... I don't even know _what_ to begin asking."

"I have extensive evidence that Jo and Zane have indeed consummated their relationship on multiple occasions, if you would like to see it." AIDA spoke up, and even Zane cringed.

"That's... not... nessecary, AIDA. _I_... don't even want to_ see_ our exploits, let alone know _why_ or how you have evidence." He rubbed his forehead, trying to get the idea that the house got some sick pornograhic enjoyment out of recording him and Jo having sex. The very thought that a house could manage to culminate in an odd form of orgasm made him sick, and more than a little pale. He swallowed. "Just... give me a few minutes to... process that thought and... regain some semblence of my dignity." Zane muttered, taking a seat on the other end of the sofa across from Jo.

"They're erased." Everyone turned; Jo sat between Allison and Carter, who was perched on the arm of the sofa, wringing her hands. After a moment, she looked up. "She erased the tapes. It took us a while, but... eventually, we were able to get AIDA to erase the tape on command." She looked down at her hands, sniffling. "I want my girls. I want my babies." Tears began to slide down her cheeks, and she pressed her mouth into the heel of her hand to keep from sobbing. Her dark eyes closed, and her shoulders shook with barely contained sobs. Allison got up, gently laying a hand on her shoulder, before going into the kitchen and getting a glass of water for the younger woman.

No one spoke, no one moved.

"The probability that Jo could be hallucinating due to overexhaustion or prolonged stress, is possible, yet..." AIDA trailed off, uncertain.

_"Yet?"_ Carter asked. "She's somehow telling the truth? Like,_ what?_ She and Zane eloped to Vegas in the last _six hours_? Got pregnant and had two children before coming back to Eureka? It's not possible _or_ probable, AIDA."

"Unless..." Henry started, watching Jo. The others waited.

"Well we didn't, Carter." Zane replied. "Jo and I would never do that. Maybe in another universe, or some sort of fucked up dream state, we would, but in _reality_? No."

"Could she have had children but never mentioned them?" Grace asked. Zane shook his head.

"No. She'd _tell me_ if she'd had my children."

"I ran several quick, conclusive scans on Jo when she came into the house today. They show that she has_ indeed_ had a child, sometime in the last week or so, but our Jo has never been pregnant, let alone given birth." AIDA cut in.

"Then I'm_ not your Jo_!" The woman in question replied, wheeling on the house. She gripped the back of the sofa, leaving grooves in the fabric. Carter jumped to his feet, backing away at the barely contained hostility in the younger woman's voice. "_I don't belong here!_ This must be some... alternate reality or a... a _time jump_! I'm _not_ your Jo and I don't belong in _this_ Eureka!"

"Then where do you come from?" Carter asked, holding his hands up and making his way towards her slowly. She sighed. "Jo, please."

"In my Eureka, it's two thousand fifteen. I work... for Global Dynamics as the Head of Security under Henry." She took a deep breath. "Zane and I are married- have been for five years- and... we have two of the _most beautiful little girls_. Dylan, she just turned four, and Brookelyn- Brooke- who was born about a week ago. Zane is Head of Section Five and-"

"Whoa, whoa, _whoa_!" Zane cut her off. "_Me?_ Head of... _Section Five_? The... the most _dangerous section of all of GD? Are you insane?"_ She shook her head.

"No. You're Head of Section Five because you are the _only_ person that can handle that section. You're calm under the pressure that Section Five puts on you, and you handle it well. Everyone in that section respects you; you have... the... most loyal team beneath you, next to my team. Everyone turns to you, when something goes wrong in that area of GD, because you take control and keep everyone calm. You know how to get the job done; you never let... underlying issues cut your feet out from under you. Henry picked the right man for the job." She sniffled, glancing back at her hands. Zane shared glances with the others, unsure of what to say.

"What's it like? In your Eureka?" Fargo asked, awed.

_"Fargo!"_ A chorus of voices caused the younger man to jump back in suprise.

"I'm just curious!"

"If she tells us anything more, it could end badly, not just for her, but for us also!" Henry said.

"Can't be any worse than... my girls not having even been born, let alone concieved yet." Jo sniffled. Henry turned to her. He studied the young woman he- like Jack- considered a daughter. Having no children of his own, the young brunette was the closest thing to offspring he had, and he cherished the father-daughter moments he and Jo shared. Right now, though, she looked like a child, lost and alone. A scared little girl, looking for her mommy. The fear and pain in her eyes broke his heart.

_ Fuck it; she needs someone on her side, not turning against her_. After a moment, he went to her, kneeling in front of her and taking her hands. "Jo, I want you to focus on something, okay? This is important." He spoke slowly, softly, as though speaking to a child. "Can you tell us how you got here? What happened? What sent you here?"

She shook her head. "_I don't know_. When I opened my eyes, I was in the town square. I... I thought Zane had brought the girls and I down to enjoy the celebration- we're both on leave for the next few months. I just thought... it was his way of helping me from going crazy. I've been practically clawing at the walls, and it's only been a week since Brooke was born, you know?" She looked up at Henry, tears in her eyes. He reached up, crushing them gently as they made their way down her cheeks. "I found you and Grace, and then went to look for Zane. He took me into Carter's office, told me we... aren't married and don't have kids... my girls don't exist here... and I don't know how to get home, I... I just want my girls. I want my babies... _I just want my babies..."_

She broke down fully then, and Henry wrapped her in his arms, rubbing her back. She clung to him, sobbing, as the man who considered her his daughter, realized he was crying too.


	23. Chapter 23

**R****ifiuto: Non Miriena**

How could she _know_? She's just a child! How could she _possibly_-"

"Jo, leave it alone."

"But I _don't understand_. It's bad enough that she'd say it to _us_, but... but the fact that she blurted it out _in front_ of Allison and the others... they're smart- okay, maybe not Carter, but even Carter has his smart moments- and they'll figure it out! They'll figure out that I'm a time traveler and they'll turn me in!"

"They won't."

"Yes, they will."

"I won't let them."

"You'll be sanctioned too, because you kept my secret. I can't have that-"

"Jo, shut up."

"The girls will be orphans, and they need their parents. I've ruined everyone's lives! I should just go quietly-"

"Jo, _shut_ up."

"I deserve it after everything I've done-"

Her back hit the bed hard, and he held her wrists down by her head. He balanced over her, meeting her gaze, catching the rapid rise and fall of her chest out of the corner of his eye, taking in the smooth concave of her stomach and the soft swells of her breasts. She stared up at him with fear in her eyes, a thousand questions running back and forth across the dark depths.

"Does that mouth of yours _ever_ stop moving?" She stared at him, struggling to think of a response. "Never mind." He captured her lips in a kiss, drinking her in. She pushed him away after several minutes.

_"Don't you understand, Zane?_ I've destroyed my life _and_ yours-" He sighed, rolling his eyes.

"Jo, shut up."

"And so my only reasonable course of action is to turn myself in- and to make sure you keep your mouth shut-" He sighed, getting up and going to the chair and rummaging around for something buried under their clothes. He returned minutes later, pulled her to a sitting position, pushed her back against the mountain of pillows on their bed, and grabbed her wrist. "- so that the girls have at least _one_ parent to raise them and-" She stopped when she heard the click of her handcuffs. "Zane? What are you doing?" She watched as he cuffed her wrists to the bed, hands up in a temple pose, the back of her hands touching so that she was unable to move. She struggled, only to be met with resistance by the cuffs. "Zane_, why the fuck did you cuff me to the bed?_"

He took her chin in his hand. "We are going to take advantage of Allison clearing you, and I'm going to make wild, passionate, erotic love to you, and the _last thing_ I want you to do is push me away. We're married- whether you remember or not is irrelevant. We're married, and as your husband, I'm going to bring you to your breaking point like I have done for the last five years. _We_ are going to make love, and afterward, I'm going to hold you in my arms and never let go. _Got it_?" She took a deep breath, thinking. Eventually, she nodded. He smiled softly at her, capturing her lips in a kiss. Once he'd tasted enough of her mouth, he moved his lips down to her neck, nipping gently-

"Ow!" She pulled away. "Zane, that hurt!" He chuckled softly.

"I'm sorry babe, I didn't mean to bite." She glared at him.

"You bite and I'll bite back!" She warned, narrowing her eyes. He grinned at her, excitement lighting his blue eyes.

"I look forward to it, Jojo." He whispered, voice husky. She let him kiss her, before pushing him away, surprise in her eyes. He studied her face for several minutes, before asking, "You okay, babe?" Her dark eyes moved up, and she stared at him as though seeing him for the first time. After a moment, she whispered,

"Yeah, I... I just had a... a bad sense of deja vu. Nothing major." He nodded; it was clear he didn't believe her, but he didn't press the issue, and returned his lips to hers, once again drinking her in. He moved to her collarbone, sucking gently on the skin before moving and pressing soft kisses to the sides of her breasts. He slowly slid his hands down her sides, run across her stomach and over her thighs, feeling the soft, velvet of her skin beneath his fingers.

"God, you're absolutely beautiful, you know that?" He breathed, eyes roving over her body before he returned his lips to hers. He pulled away for a moment, and Jo struggled to catch his lips again, but he watched her, a small, teasing smile on his face. He leaned close, his lips brushing lightly against hers in teasing kisses that drove her wild. He grabbed her hips, pulling her body closer. She arched her back, longing to be with him. "I love you, Jo."

She caught his lips in hers, drinking him in deeply as they moved together and became one. She groaned softly, enjoying the feel of him inside her as they moved as one being. They danced together, reaching their point as they moved in sync. _This_ was what she remembered. _This_ was familiar. She knew his body like the back of her hand, every curve, every crevice, every scar. When they settled down after- and after Zane hand uncuffed her- she ran her hands over his body. No matter what timeline she was in, she knew Zane's body like a well-used hiking trail. Zane, for his part, found it not the least disturbing that she knew his body like she did.

After all, he knew her body the same as she knew his.

He held her in his arms, against his chest, a hand tangled in her hair as they lay in the afterglow of their passion. "I love you so much, Jojo."


	24. Chapter 24

**R****ifiuto: Non Miriena**

She awoke the next morning, her sleepy gaze taking in the room around her, and she sighed as her companion slipped into bed beside her. She turned, a sleepy smile tugging at her lips as she stared into his eyes. Slowly, she reached up, brushing her hand over his cheek, her heart leaping at the rough stubble along his cheek that she loved so much. "What are you doing up?"

"Morning to you too, beautiful." He whispered, kissing her sweetly. She chuckled softly, returning the kiss, before snuggling into his arms, tucking her head beneath his chin. "Went out for a run. Stopped at Cafe Diem, took a quick shower, checked on the girls. There's coffee and pastries in the kitchen when you want them." She sighed, snuggling into him as his arms wrapped around her.

"Don't want pastries. Don't want coffee. Just want you." She murmured sleepily as she snuggled down. He chuckled softly, pressing a kiss to her hair.

"Want you too." He whispered, yawning. He rubbed her back, holding her close as they burrowed under the blankets. Eventually, they both drifted off to sleep, unaware that Carter and Allison had called the others together, and were going to show up on their doorstep hours before the barbacue started at noon.

"I don't think-"

"Ali, I hate to say this, but I think you're losing it. Dylan's a _child_. She's a little girl. They say things to mess with people; it's _what they do_. It's practically in their _job_ description." Carter said as he and Allison pulled up in front of Jo and Zane's place. She glared at him.

"And I'm just saying, that I think we have a time traveler on our hands, Carter. Haven't you noticed how weird she's been acting lately?" She replied, getting out of the car. Carter scoffed, surprised.

"Allison, Jo _did just_ have a baby! I think her weirdness is warranted." He replied, following. She glared at him. "What? I'm just saying-"

"No, you're just sticking up for her because she was once your deputy."

"Allison!"

"You guys ready to do this?" The pair turned as Fargo, Henry and Grace joined them. Allison nodded.

"I don't know. Don't you think we're invading their privacy, showing up here at seven in the morning? Wouldn't it be safer to ask at the barbacue?" Fargo asked. Allison glared at him.

"If we have a time traveler here, we _have_ to deal with the situation as swiftly and efficiantly as we can-" She started.

"Oh shut up, Allison!" Carter snapped. The woman turned to him. He stammered for a minute. "I... I... oh, shut up, Carter." He muttered eventually, sticking his hands in his pockets. With one last glance at the others, and without waiting for a reply, the Medical Head marched up the porch steps and rang the doorbell. It roused no one in the house- AIDA, the AI, had silenced the bell not long after Brooke was born, but she did alert Zane and Jo.

"There's someone at the door, Dr. Donovan." Zane groaned softly and stretched, disturbing Jo, who rolled onto her other side and settled back into sleep.

"Tell them... back... later... AIDA..." He mumbled, spooning protectively around his wife and burying his face in her long tangled hair. For a brief moment, he thought he heard the house sigh in annoyance.

"Dr. Donovan has asked that you return later, Dr. Blake. He and Chief Donovan are sound asleep in bed; and seeing as neither have gotten much sleep since Brookelyn was born, therefore-"

_"Can it, AIDA!"_ Allison snapped. "You _get those two up_ and you _get them up now_! This is urgent!"

"Very well, Dr. Blake."

"Being a little harsh, Allison?" Carter asked.

"Shut up, Carter." Allison muttered, eyes trained on the door.

"Dr. Donovan-" Zane mumbled something unintelligible and buried his face deeper in Jo's hair, wrapping his arms tighter around her, who was sound asleep. "I'm sorry, Dr. Donovan, but I'm afraid Dr. Blake insists that you and Jo get up and let her and the others in. She says that it's urgent, and seeing as Sheriff Carter and Dr. Deacon are with her-"

Zane's eyes snapped open at the last sentence, and he sat up. "What did you say, AIDA?"

"Dr. Blake is outside on the porch with Sheriff Carter, as well as Dr. Deacon, Dr. Monroe, and Dr. Fargo. Shall I let them in?" He shook his head.

"No. I... We will be downstairs soon, thank you, AIDA." He turned to Jo, shaking her gently. "Jo, babe, wake up. Wake up for me, sweetheart. We have five problems downstairs that we need to take care of." Minutes passed, before she turned, slowly opening her eyes, a small smile on her face.

"What time is it?"

"Seven." He whispered, his heart flipping at the adorable sleepiness on her face and in her voice. He pressed a kiss to her lips. "Now come on, babe, get up. Allison and the others are downstairs, and they want to talk to us about something. They say it's urgent-" Suddenly, all sleep was gone from Jo's eyes and she sat up, knocking heads with her husband.

"Oh, sorry! I didn't mean-" He chuckled softly, rubbing her forehead quickly before pressing a firm kiss to it.

"It's okay love, just, get dressed." It took them only minutes to pull robes on over their pajamas and rush downstairs; Jo skidded to a stop in the living room, teeth chewing on her thumbnail as Zane went to the door. He yawned, pulling it open. Even though it was seven, he didn't appreciate being woken on one of the rare days that Brooke didn't get them up every three hours. "What is so important you had to wake my wife and I up on a _Saturday_? We don't have to go anywhere until noon, and we'd appreciate it if you would let us catch up on at least a _couple_ hours of the sleep we've lost since Brooke was born." He grumbled, glaring at Allison. The others all backed up; Allison stood her ground.

_"Where's Jo?"_ She asked. A few minutes passed, before the woman in question slipped between Zane's arms and door.

"Allison?" Her mind still foggy with sleep, she wasn't entirely comprehending everything that was going on. "Unless the town's exploding, you better have a good reason as to why you woke us both up at seven on a Saturday." She crossed her arms, glaring at the older woman.

"I do." Allison replied as Jo and Zane looked at each other. "And it has to do with _you_."


	25. Chapter 25

**R****ifiuto: Non Miriena**

A moment passed, before Zane stepped aside, pushing the door open. He backed up, pulling Jo with him. "Come on in, Dr. Blake." He growled, blue eyes blazing. The small group slipped inside and settled in the living room as the door swung shut behind them. Jo wrapped her robe tight around herself, crossing her arms.

"W... why are you here?" She asked, watching them. Allison locked eyes with the young woman as Zane handed her the cup of coffee he'd picked up from Cafe Diem. She took a sip, waiting.

"We know." Jo looked up at them, confused.

"Know what?" She asked. Carter sighed.

"We know that you're... a time traveler, Jo." She choked, nearly dropping her cup. Zane was at her side in an instant, taking the cup from her hand and rubbing her back.

"Come on, Jojo. Sit. Breathe. Head between your knees, that's a good girl." She did as told, taking several deep breaths as Zane continued to rub her back. The others watched, silent.

"What timeline are you from, Jo?" Allison asked. Jo took a deep breath, whispering. "What?"

The young woman looked up. "I said, two thousand ten. I'm from a Eureka where Zane and I were just about to get engaged. Allison is... Head of GD, Henry is the mayor, Fargo is Allison's assistant, Henry and Grace _aren't_ married, Carter is with Tess, Zane isn't head of Section Five and I'm still Carter's deputy." She took a deep breath, tears running down her cheeks. "The girls don't exist in my Eureka. We'd just... just gotten engaged, but I... I hadn't said yes. Yet. I... I hesitated." She whispered, looking down at her hands.

The others watched her silent, unsure of what to say. Eventually, Allison spoke up.

"Did you know, Zane?" The pair looked up. "Did you _know_ she was from another time?" The Section Five head kept quiet. Allison's mouth dropped open in shock. "You _knew_! This _entire time_! And you _didn't say anything_!"

"Shh! You're going to _wake the baby_!" Jo cried, as Allison turned to her. Jo had never seen Allison as angry as she was now. The older woman took a step towards her as Jo stood.

"What do you care? _She's not your child!"_

"But she _will be, someday_!" Jo snapped back. Zane was on his feet in an instant. Suddenly, the sound of Brooke's cries reached everyone's ears over the monitor. Her maternal instincts kicking in, Jo rushed upstairs. They could hear her on the monitor. "Shh. It's okay, baby girl. I'm here. Mommy's here." They all heard the creaking of the rocking chair as Jo took a seat, followed by the soft lilting of her singing. Zane slowly turned to Allison, his voice calm.

"I'm _not_ going to just hand my wife over to the DoD-"

_"She's not your wife, Zane!"_ Allison cried. "She's a time traveler and needs to be dealt with! And _you know it!"_

"She _is my wife_, Allison!" Zane snarled. "When I married Jo, I promised to love her, _no matter_ what. In sickness and in health. In joy and sorrow. In good times and in bad. In _good_ and _bad_, _Allison_!" He snapped, turning on the good doctor. "As far as I'm concerned, this is just an extention of those times."

Allison took a deep breath. "Zane, I'm sorry you've gotten caught in the middle of this, but we _have_ to turn Jo in. We don't have a choice. And... now it looks like we have to turn you in as well."

"What?" Everyone turned to see Jo moving down the stairs and entering the living room, the baby in her arms. The child was curled up on Jo's shoulder, watching them all with Zane's blue gaze. "No. You can't. If you take anyone in, you take me, but leave Zane out of this. The girls _need him_-"

"They need their mother too, Jo." Zane replied, turning to her. She swallowed.

"But-"

_"It doesn't matter!"_ Allison snapped. "You and Zane _aren't married because you aren't from this time_!" Allison took a deep breath, watching as Jo cradled the baby closer. "Zane, I'm sorry, but... you covered it up. For _four... five months_! And now you've _not only_ put yourself and the girls in danger, but everyone else in Eureka as well! She _needs_ to be turned in and turned in _now_! _Zane, how could you do that_?"

_"For God sake Carter, talk some sense into your girlfriend!_ Or at least _control her_!" Zane snapped, going to Jo, who struggled to quiet a crying Brooke. He took the baby into his arms, gently swaying back and forth with her, whispering sweet words as he placed kisses on her forehead. "Shh, it's okay, Brooke. Shh. We love you, little one, we always will."

"Mommy? Daddy? What's going on?" They all looked up, to see Dylan on the stairs, making her way into the living room.

"Nothing's going on, baby." Zane said.

"Except that, thanks to _you_, we now know that your mother's a time traveler, and we have to turn her in. And we also have to turn in your father as well, because he knew about it, but didn't _say anything_." Dylan turned to look at her parents, fear welling in her eyes as tears ran down her cheeks.

"No! You won't leave, will you? _You promised you wouldn't leave!_ _Mommy, don't go_!" The child rushed to Jo, throwing her arms around the woman. She began to sob, and slowly, Jo knelt down, wrapping the girl in her arms.

"I'm sorry, sweetheart." She rubbed the girl's back, pressing a kiss to her hair.

"She's not your mother. Not the one you know, anyway, Dylan." Allison said.

"_She's my mommy! You can't take her away!"_ Dylan cried, turning to Allison.

"We don't have a choice, Dylan-"

"Yes we do."

"What are you talking about?" Jo asked, turning to Zane, who'd finally managed to quiet Brooke. He helped her up, Dylan in her arms. "There's nothing we can do. Allison has a vendetta, and she _won't stop_ until she fulfills it!"

He wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her close. "Jo, listen to me. You aren't going anywhere. You know why?" She shook her head. "Because _we're meant to be_. You are _my Jo_. _Mine_. And from what you've told me, we would have ended up here eventually. Like I said, you skipped a few grades. Big deal. That _doesn't_ matter. What matters is that we're in love. We're married and we have a family to raise. These two beautiful little girls need us, and we aren't going anywhere. You've always been my Jo; no one is taking you away from me. I promise. We aren't going anywhere. We are going to stay here, and raise our girls and work at GD, and..." He thought a moment. "Maybe have a couple more." She struggled to supress the small smile tugging on her lips. "But ultimately, we are going to _stay here_. Got it?"

She nodded. "Got it." He turned to look at the others.

"Are we _all understood_?" Moments passed, before they also nodded. "Good." He whispered, pressing a kiss to Jo's hair.


	26. Chapter 26

**R****ifiuto: Non Miriena***

"Let me get this straight, Carter? You and Henry and Fargo and Allison and... _another me_... are from an _alternate_ timeline?" Carter nodded. He _knew_ this wasn't going to go well.

"Yes. We are. And... in that timeline, you and Zane are engaged." She took a deep, surprised breath, holding her hands up.

"_Whoa, whoa, whoa! Back up!_ Did... did_ you just say_ that... that in _your timeline_... that_ I'm... engaged_ to... _Donovan_?"

"Yes." Carter was calm when he spoke, despite the turmoil taking place in his stomach. A moment passed before she slammed her palms down on the desk and got up, pacing.

"So... so_ you're telling me that... that you're not from here. That you're from the... the Eureka that my... that my alternate self is from? Along with... Henry and Allison and... that idiot Fargo?"_ He nodded.

"Yes. We're all from that alternate timeline."

"And that... _my alternate..._ wanted_ so badly_ to go home that... that she left, and I... _returned_?" He could tell she was struggling to make sense of it in her head. He could see the wheels turning, see everything click into place. She was making sense of it, of all of it, and wasn't taking it well. In fact, if Carter were to make a guess, she'd be imploding soon. A moment of silence fell, trapping Carter within it's grip, and he waited. Eventually-

"You're insane! _You're absolutely insane_!" His face fell, and he stood.

"Jo, please, you have to listen to me-"

"Why? So you can spout more... ridiculous lies?"

"I'm not-"

"Well then you've either _hit_ your head, or_ lapsed_ into a coma. Because _none of what you're saying_, is true. There's_ no such thing as an alternate timeline, no such thing as alternate selves, no such thing as being able to change time_. _Come on, Carter!_ Even _you_ have enough of a brain to understand _that_!"

_"When have I ever lied to you, Jo?"_ Carter snapped back, standing. She stopped, thinking. "Exactly. I_ never_ lied to you back when you were my deputy, and I'm _not lieing to you now_!" She took a deep breath, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Prove it."

"What?"

_"Prove it."_ Jo growled through clenched teeth. Carter stammered for several minutes before finally giving up. She rolled her eyes, a glare on her pretty features, before she turned and went to the door.

"Jo! Jo, wait!" She stopped, turning back.

"Well? I'm waiting." He shrugged.

"I... I can't." She thought a moment, scoffing gently.

"You know, the greatest trick the devil _ever_ pulled was convincing the world he didn't exist." Carter furrowed his brow, confused.

"I... I don't under-"

"I wouldn't_ expect_ you to understand." Then she left her office, the doors sliding shut behind her. She continued down the hall, moving past Allison, who had gone looking for Carter.

"Jo!" The younger woman turned. "Have you seen Carter?"

"He's in my office, trying to prove that he's a time traveler." Allison went pale.

"What?" Jo looked up at her.

"Didn't you hear me? He... told me this..._ ridiculous_ story about how he and you and Fargo and Henry and... another _me_ went back to ninteen forty-seven, and then ended up here. Isn't that ridiculous?" Allison bit her lip, then grabbed Jo's arm. "Allison! What the-"

"Jo, there's something Carter, the others and I need to tell you. It's important."


	27. Chapter 27

**R****ifiuto: Non Miriena**

**Thanks to mondler1998 for reviewing 20.**

"This isn't going to work. We're going to get caught because one of us won't be able to keep my secret and then I'll go away. One day, the girls will wake up and I'll be _gone_!" Jo sank onto the sofa, nibbling on her nail.

"Jo, you've got the brightest minds on your side. We'll figure-" Grace started, sitting beside her. She reached out, rubbing the young mother's back.

"With the exception of Carter." Zane cut in, never taking his eyes off the data stream on his tablet. Dylan sat at Jo's feet, playing with her doll.

"Hey! I'm smart! I'm _plenty_ smart!" Carter snapped, offended.

"I meant _science_ smart, lawdog. _Don't get snappy_." Zane replied, rolling his eyes. Jo choked out a sob, burying her face in her hands.

"Jo! Are you okay? Jo, tell me what's wrong, sweetie?" Grace said, struggling to get her to lower her hands. After a moment, Jo did, shaking her head, tears streaming down her face.

"It's just... I... said that... _exact same thing_ to... Carter... in my... timeline..." She broke down fully, and Grace pulled the young mother to her chest, letting her cry.

"What we need to do first is figure out how Dy discovered Jo's secret..." Zane started, trailing off as he set his tablet down and got up. He scooped his oldest into his arms, taking a seat next to Jo on the sofa. "Dy, sweetie-"

"Why is Mommy crying?" Dylan asked, looking up at Zane. He sighed.

"That's what I want to talk to you about. I have to ask you a few questions, sweetheart, and I want you to tell us the truth. They're real important questions."

"Why?" Zane thought a moment, reaching up to smooth back the wild curls that had escaped her ponytail.

"Because they involve Mommy. And see, the thing is, they _have_ to be kept secret. They don't go outside of the house, okay?" The child bit her lip.

"But... you and Mommy always say to be... honest, and not to... to keep secrets." He nodded, seeing the confusion in her eyes.

"I know. But this is important. Because if people find out, Mommy will go away for a long, long time and we'll never see her again. And we don't want that. We want her here, with us. So you have to be honest with us, and keep this all a secret, okay?" Dylan nodded. "Good." He pressed a kiss to her hair. "Now, how did you find out that Mommy's from another time?" The child looked around. "Just between us. No one else, only the ones here in the house." After a moment, Dylan said,

"I heard you and Mommy talking. Mommy said that..." The girl bit her lip, a mirror behavior of Jo. "That you and Mommy weren't married in her time, and that you were dating. And that... that she wanted to go back to her time. That she didn't belong here. Make her stay, Daddy! _Make her stay_!" Zane held his child close, letting her cry as her small arms went around his neck.

Two hours passed; two hours of Zane asking soft-spoken questions, of Dylan clutching to his neck as she talked, of Jo sitting stoic on the sofa beside Grace, lost in her own thoughts. Two hours of Allison's agitated pacing, of Carter's attempts to calm her down, of her arguing and going- verbally- after Jo, who didn't defend herself, didn't speak up, just stared into space. Eventually, Zane lost his temper, sent Dylan to her room, and went after Allison. Carter and Henry managed to get to him before he strangled the good doctor, and as Henry and Fargo struggled to calm the Section Five Director down- while Carter looked after Allison-they had to admit that she had it coming.

Both Henry and Carter understood; Henry met Carter's gaze from across the room. It was the same instinct that they had towards the women in their lives. Zane was just trying to protect Jo.

She was his wife, the mother of his children, and it was his job to protect her. Sure, Jo would most likely oppose that, but she'd ultimately agree- when Zane was in protection mode, when he was on the war path, when he was out for blood- such as Allison's- it wasn't just to protect his daughters, but her as well. When he was protecting his girls, he meant all three. His daughters were his reason for surviving, for never giving up, for never packing up and leaving this crap town; Dylan and Brooke had burrowed deep into his heart from the moment they'd been concieved, from the moment they were born; he thought of them, waiting for him to come home after work, of Dy, anxiously waiting to run into his arms and tell him about her day; of Brooke, who was developing her personality, who was going to start walking soon, and talking. They were the reason he'd accepted the position as Head of Section Five.

And while his two precious daughters owned his heart, Jo owned his soul, his life. Everything he did, everything he considered doing, was for her. He considered the consequences, and how she'd be affected, before he did anything. She was his reason for living, the reason he'd stayed in Eureka. He thought of her, every moment of every day, whether she was curled up in bed beside him, or making her rounds, she was in his thoughts. He always checked to make sure she was okay, whenever anything went wrong at GD. She was his wife, she'd given birth to his children, she was his soulmate, his other half.

It was a well known fact that Jo was Zane's life. His real reason for living.

A moment passed, before Zane pulled away from them and went to Jo. He sat beside her, rubbing her back. "It'll be okay." She looked up at him, tears in her eyes, before getting up. Without a word, she rushed upstairs, slamming the door to their bedroom. He didn't follow her, letting her have her space.

If he had, he'd have heard Jo pull out her cell and place a call to Mansfield.


	28. Chapter 28

**R****ifiuto: Non Miriena**

**A/N: I just have this... idea that Zane would have a tattoo of some sort as a reminder of Jo and their life together- and that Jo would have a matching one. **

**Thanks to mondler1998 for reviewing 21.**

"I want to talk to General Mansfield! _Yes!_ I don't care... Listen, you tell him that Chief Donovan is on the other line... I don't give a damn... _just do it!"_ She sighed. "Fine. Then have him call me back." She ended the call and stuffed it back in her pocket, just as the door open and Zane poked his head in.

"Hey, you okay, babe?" She turned, her mouth dropping open.

"Yeah. Just..." She looked around, brushing her palms together. "getting cleaned up." He nodded, slipping into the room and shutting the door softly behind him. She looked up as he went to her.

"You okay?" She nodded.

"Of course, why wouldn't I be?" He slid his arms around her waist.

"You just... I know you were upset, especially concerning what Allison said-"

"It doesn't matter."

"It does. And, you have every right to be upset." She moved to pull away.

"It really doesn't matter, Zane."

_"Yes. It does."_ He said, firmer this time. She looked up at him. "It matters. A great deal." He stared into her eyes for a moment, searching for something. "Jo, if something's going on, if you need help, _tell me_. Don't do this on your own. That's part of why we got married. We're a _team_. We work through things _together_. Okay?" She nodded. "Good." He pressed a kiss to her forehead. She watched him get dressed, before going to him and wrapping her arms around him from behind. She pressed her cheek to the soft skin of his back, feeling his muscles contract and release beneath her. He stopped, undershirt in his hands, and she sighed.

"You're the most precious thing in my life, and I don't want to lose you. I don't want to risk you. I've seen what my life is like without you, and I never want to go through that again. It nearly killed me." He glanced at her over his shoulder.

"I'm not going anywhere, Jojo." She smiled, closing her eyes.

"I know." She pressed a kiss to his back. He chuckled softly. Then, she pulled away. "I'll let you... return to getting dressed. I... think I'm gonna go downstairs and... have the rest of that coffee now." She said, as he turned around and laid his hands on her waist. She ran her hands up his chest and over his shoulders, her fingers brushing the tattoo on his shoulder, near his blades. She'd asked him about it the night before; he'd told her the reasons behind it after she'd pestered him two nights in a row.

She knew the signifigance- two small, interlocked hearts- one black, the other silver- with keys dangling from matching ribbons, to symbolize their marriage. The term 'key to my heart' was the first thing she thought of when she saw it that night, but what she didn't understand, was why he had it and she didn't. Turns out, she did, she just couldn't see it. Yet, Zane also had two other tattoos- one, a small dolphin, with Dylan's name and birth beneath it, the other a celtic shamrock with Brooke's name and birth beneath it- both surrounding the hearts and keys like ying and yang. She knew Zane had Dutch in him, and that his father's family had settled in Brooklyn in the eighteen-hundreds, while his mother's family settled in Boston, like hundreds of other Irish. The dolphin and shamrock were for his daughters, his beloved little girls, and the heritage they were steeped in.

As for her tattoo, she'd seen it the day she took her shower; resting on her shoulder- the same hearts and keys Zane had on his, but instead of a shamrock, she had a waterlily for Brooke. From what Zane had told her, they'd gotten the hearts and keys done not long after their wedding, Dylan's dolphin was done a few months after she'd been born, and Brooke's a few days after her birth. Obviously, the tattoos were meant as a reminder of their family and the life they'd built together.

She looked up at him, giving him a small smile, before leaning up. Their lips brushed together, crashing and connecting, their tongues exploring familiar territory; deep and passionate, her kiss conveyed everything she couldn't tell him, everything she longed to. She drank him in, wanting to remember his taste and the feel of his body against hers, his skin beneath her fingers. Eventually, she pulled away, leaving the room.

Once in the hall, she slipped into Dylan's room; the little girl lay on her stomach, coloring. She looked up when Jo shut the door softly behind her. "Mommy!" Jo gave her a small smile as she got up and rushed to her, throwing her small arms around the older woman. Jo knelt down, wrapping her arms tight around the little girl. She buried her face in the child's silky black curls- her curls- breathing in her scent.

"I love you, Dylan, you know that, right?" Jo asked, pulling away to stare into the girl's blue eyes. The child nodded.

"What's wrong, Mommy?" Jo swallowed, looking up at her daughter.

"Sometimes, you have to something wrong... to make it right. You have to... to break rules to stop something bad from happening and hurting the people you love. And... no matter how much it hurts, no matter how painful it is to you, you have to do it knowing that you're doing it to keep the people you love from getting hurt. And... if you do that with that thought in mind, then it makes what you're about to do easier, because you're protecting the people you love the most. Do you understand, baby?" Jo asked, looked into her daughter's blue eyes, as tears swam in her own. "You understand?" She reached up, cradling the little girl's face. A moment passed, before Dylan nodded. "Good. Come here." She wrapped the four-year-old in her arms again, holding her close, as tears ran down her cheeks. Then, she pressed a kiss to her daughter's hair before standing. As she went to the door, she turned back to the child, holding a finger to her lips. Dylan nodded, not fully understanding.

After she'd shut the door to Dylan's room, she went to Brooke's, slipping inside. Her gaze landed on the monitor, and she quietly shut it off before going to the crib. The baby lay on her back, playing with her feet. Jo watched her for a moment, before reaching down and scooping her into her arms. "Hey baby girl. Hi. Want come sit with me for a little bit?"

She took a seat in the rocking chair, cradling her daughter in her arms, losing herself in her husband's blue eyes. She choked back a laugh. She'd been in this timeline nearly five months, and she was already refering to Zane as her husband. "I wish I could say that I remember carrying you, giving birth to you, but I don't. I don't remember any of it. I just... I remember Daddy laying you in my arms that morning after I woke up here and... and falling deeply in love with you." She took a deep breath. "I guess it's true what they say, about moms understanding what their kids don't say." She sniffled. "You can't talk yet, but I know everything in your head. I can see it in your eyes." She leaned down, pressing a soft kiss to the baby's forehead. "And I love you. I will always love you. Until the day I die... I'm just so sorry that that day will be here sooner rather than later... I love you so much..." She stood, going to the crib. "Remember than, Brooke, okay?" Then, she pressed one last kiss to her daughter's head, before laying her back in the crib. She turned the monitor on again, and slipped out of the room.

Then, she snuck downstairs, slipping into the kitchen and grabbing the coffee cup Zane had brought back from Cafe Diem. She wandered into the living room, muttered something to Carter about grabbing the mail, slipped her keys into her pocket, and slipped out of the house. She hurried down the steps, stopping at the mailbox to keep up the ruse, and then doubled back towards the car. She held her breath as she backed out of the drive; only once she made it downtown and was heading towards GD did she let out her breath. Her escape was relatively easy, and with good reason- the others had been arguing about what to do and so hadn't been paying attention to her, and Zane was still upstairs, getting dressed.

As she pulled into her parking space at GD, she briefly considered that she was doing the wrong thing. But as she entered GD and made her way to the rotunda, her resolve returned. GD was closed during the weekend- even scientists needed a couple days off- but every so often, the heads of the major departments would come in and catch up on their work, be it a project they'd been in the middle of or paperwork to fill out. Her heart pounded in her chest as she caught sight of General Mansfield and...

Her breathing stopped. _Oh God. No. Please, God, no. _

Luca.

Her remaining brother, Captain Luca Lupo, stood at Mansfield's side, looking gorgeous in his military uniform. For a brief moment, Jo found herself admiring her brother; _how_ he'd remained single for so long, she wasn't sure. Any woman would be lucky to have him as her husband, and the children he'd have... well, if _hers_ were any indication...

He, like Zane, looked older, but underneath the strict military upbringing, she saw the same brother she'd run wild with as a child, that she'd stuck by when it came to choosing sides, that she'd grown close to as teenagers, after Rico and Davie left to live their own lives. And now, he stood before her, so much like their father, that for a moment, she thought that maybe, just _maybe_ she was back in her own time.

Luca's eyes sparked as he laid sight on her, and he smiled, the dimples in his cheeks showing as she got closer. "Josie." She gave him a small smile, going to him. He wrapped her in a tight hug, burying his face in her hair. "It's so good to see you again, little sister. How are those nieces of mine? Dylan causing trouble? And how 'bout Brookelyn? How's she doing?" He asked, pulling away and taking her hands.

"They're good. Brookie... she's getting big. Five months." Luca gave her a small smile, squeezing her hands. She sniffled, turning to Mansfield, who'd stayed back, allowing for the siblings to have their reunion. The older man met her eyes, and after a moment, she started, suddenly recognizing him. "Ah... Uncle... Theo..." He gave her a small smile, and she glanced at Luca before going to the older man. He wrapped her in a hug.

"It's good to see you again, Josefina." Mansfield whispered, rubbing her back. Jo swallowed.

"It's good to see you too." She whispered.

General Theodore Mansfield had served with her father; his family and Jo's were as intertwined through the military as hers and Zane's were through their marriage. In fact, not long after graduating top of her class at The Point, Jo had discovered that one of Mansfield's great-great aunts had married one of her great-great uncles, so the two families were, in fact, intwined. Not just through military, but marriage as well. Mansfield was her godfather, her father's mentor and confidante. He'd looked out for Jo after her tour and injury in Afghanistan, been a pallbearer at Ricco's funeral, and even- as Zane had told her off-handedly- been at their wedding, to see his goddaughter marry the man she loved; he'd been at Dylan's christening, at Brooke's- Mansfield had played such an important role in Jo's life, and now, he was going to play the most important part of all.

She pulled away, pain tugging at her heartstrings when she realized that her beloved Uncle Theo would be the one to break the unfortunate news of her treason to her father and older brother. In a way, she prefered going into Mansfield's custody than anyone else's- the deep family connection was one that couldn't be broken, and she knew he would take care of her more than anyone else would. She just wished Luca wasn't here to bear witness. After a moment, Mansfield placed his hands behind his back.

"So... Josefina," He looked around. "Where is this... alleged... time traveler?"

Jo took a deep breath. She squared her shoulders, her military training kicking in. Her back straightened, and she swallowed, closing her eyes briefly to gather courage that she didn't know she possessed. Maybe she wouldn't have to ask the Wizard for anything after all. A moment passed in silence, and she silently said a prayer that death would be instantanious, that she wouldn't have to suffer, and that her family would be spared the grief. When she opened her eyes again, two of the most important men in her life stood before her, waiting for her answer. She took a deep breath, sighing softly. In a voice thick with tears, she replied,

"It's me."


	29. Chapter 29

**R****ifiuto: Non Miriena**

Zane looked up at the sound of the car door slamming. He slipped out into the hall, listening. The only sound came from the living room, where the others were arguing.

"Jo?"

After a moment, he went to Brooke's room, but found only his daughter, sound asleep in her crib. As he returned to the hall, Dylan slipped out of her bedroom. She had tears in her eyes, and was sniffling. Obviously, the child had been crying. "Dy, baby, what's wrong, huh? Come here." The girl rushed to him, throwing herself into his arms. She buried her face in his shoulder for several minutes, muttering something. "Baby, I can't understand you." He set her down, kneeling down to look into her eyes. "Now, say it again?"

The child took a deep breath. "Mommy said... that... you have... you have to... break rules to keep from hurting people you love. Because... you're pro... protecting them..." She choked out, reaching up to rub at the tears in her eyes. Zane stared at her for a moment, not understanding.

"Sweetie, I-" _I've seen what my life is like without you, and I never want to go through that again... I won't risk you..._

He stood, rushing downstairs. He _couldn't_ believe it. The others stopped their arguing as Zane rushed into the living room and out onto the porch. He quickly scanned the yard and street. "Jo!" Nothing. "Damn it."

"Zane? What's wrong?" He turned towards Allison once he'd come back inside.

"Thanks to you, she went down to GD to turn herself in!"

"What?"

"Whoa, slow down, Zane." Carter said, stepping between the two. "We don't know-"

"Dylan just told me that Jo told her that you have to break rules to keep from hurting the people you love because you're protecting them. And now _she's gone_! Where else could she go? And it's _her fault_! _If she hadn't been so adamant about turning my wife in, we wouldn't be in this mess in the first place!"_ Allison opened her mouth to speak, but Zane ignored her, grabbing his keys and leaving the house. Carter and Henry were the first on the porch, as Zane fled on his bike.

"We have to go get her." Carter said, rushing down the steps. It was pure instinct now; the need and desire to protect his best friend, like he'd done so often in the past. Moments passed before Henry, Grace, and Fargo followed. When Carter looked back, only Allison stood on the porch, too stunned to move. He turned back to the task at hand. Zane was right. If Allison had kept her nose out of it, they wouldn't be in this mess.

Zane rushed through GD, instincts on high alert. The sight of Jo's car in the parking lot had set his nerves on end, and he prayed to some higher being that she'd be in her office and not with Mansfield. He'd never put much stock in faith before. Never put much stock in anyone but himself before. Never put much stock in love before-

_Her._

_She_ was the reason he was starting to believe that something greater than them was out there. _She_ was the reason he was trusting people again. _She_ was the reason he was so hopelessly in love. It was all her. Before he'd met Jo, before he'd come to Eureka, he relied on himself, believed in himself, kept to himself. He'd been a loner who'd needed and wanted no one. He'd never put anyone but himself first. But as soon as he'd met Jo, that had changed. Suddenly, he'd found himself thinking of her, wanting to protect her, wanting to _love_ her. Sure, they'd hit a few rough patches at first, struck a few curbs, but eventually, they'd discovered what they wanted, and went after it.

They'd fallen in love. They'd given in to their passion, become one, until they were one heart, one soul, living in two bodies. They'd created the two most beautiful little girls Zane had ever seen, and over time, their love- his love- had grown. He'd changed. She knew it. She'd been the one to change him. His words had rung true that long ago Founders' Day, as he knelt before her in Carter's office, laying his broken and fragile heart on the floor before her. Hoping she didn't shatter the already broken pieces, hoping she wanted a future with him.

_You... made an honest man of me..._

She'd watched him, surprised, unsure of what to say to the man that had owned her heart from the moment they met.

_Marry me._

And then he'd watched as she'd snapped the box closed and held it out. His heart had shattered, and he steeled himself to watch her walk away. Begged for it to be a quick, painless death to a dream that he hadn't even known he'd wanted.

But she'd surprised him. Knelt down and looked at him. Took his face in her slender hands and searched his face, his eyes, for a sign that he wanted forever with her. And when she'd finally stopped searching, she closed the gap between them, drinking him in, her arms going tight around his neck, in that magnetic way of hers. She'd deepened the kiss, climbing into his lap and holding him close. When they'd finally broken for air, she'd nudged her nose against his. Looked into his eyes. And smiled. Her teeth had slid out to worry her lower lip as she'd asked,

"So, when's the wedding, Mr. Donovan?"

It was such a Jo thing to do, that he'd just stared at her for several minutes, before taking the ring from the box and sliding it onto her finger. With a grin, he'd whispered,

"Whenever you want, Ms. Lupo." She'd laughed, throwing her head back before returning her gaze to his. In a voice filled to the brim with calm, she'd replied,

"It's Mrs. Donovan now."

Carter had caught the tail end of the conversation, and had promptly proceeded to rush outside and run down Main Street screaming at the top of his lungs. Cries of, "Eureka's having a wedding!" were heard all the way out to GD, most likely. Not that they had noticed.

He shook his head as the memory faded, making his way to the steps of the rotunda. He could see Jo with General Mansfield and a young man in military uniform. They talked for several minutes before Jo stepped back and held out a hand. Then, she started off, Mansfield and the other man falling into step behind her, ever the military presence. He sprinted the last few feet, screaming, unable to stop himself. Had he been watching from Henry's office, he was pretty sure he looked like Carter. Right now though, he didn't care. The mother of his children was being led away, the Grim Reaper eagerly awaiting her arrival. She wouldn't be meeting him a the gates of Heaven any time soon, if he had anything to say about it.

_"Jo!"_


	30. Chapter 30

**R****ifiuto: Non Miriena+**

"This doesn't seem _possible_." Carter whispered.

"What, that Jo's a time traveler or that she _believes_ that she's a time traveler?" Henry asked. The young woman was sitting on the sofa with Allison, struggling to regain control over her emotions.

"But... Jo and Zane... _married_, with... _two_ little girls... It's a little far fetched, don't you think?" Henry shrugged.

"He proposed to her today. It's only logical to _assume_ that children would be in their future. And given how... hurt Jo is, I'd say that... that it's... possible."

"It's not just possible, it's probable." Everyone turned as Zane entered the house, tablet in hand.

"Zane? When... when did you-" Allison asked, rubbing Jo's back.

"I headed up to GD to run some data, and figure out a couple formulas. I also had Fargo run scans for exotic particles." The younger man adjusted his glasses as the door closed behind him and he pulled his tablet from his messenger bag, going to Henry.

"The tests were positive. There were... several clusters of exotic particles on her skin and throughout her body." Fargo said, pulling up the information he'd collected. "These particles aren't from_ this_ Eureka. They're from an entirely _different_ universe."

"So that means that..." Carter turned to Jo. "Jo..." She looked up at him; her eyes were raw and red, but sturdy. She took a deep breath, straghtening her back and pulling her ponytail over her shoulder. She sniffled, lifting her chin. For a brief moment, Carter could see the Army Sergeant so feared in her graduating class. He got up, going to her. His blue eyes roamed over her, taking everything in.

The same dark eyes, dark hair, olive complexion. The familiar high cheekbones and slender nose. The dimples in her cheeks. And then, as he studied her, he realized that while she may have _looked_ like their Jo, she_ was_ considerably older. Not much, maybe five years at most, but still...

Older.

There were light bags and small lines around and under her eyes; she looked tired, as though she hadn't been getting enough sleep.

"Stand up." Her brow furrowed.

"What? Carter-"

"Stand up, Jo. Please." After a moment, she did as told, folding her hands behind her back, in a stance she was so accustomed to- from both her time in the military and her job as Head of Security. Carter circled her, taking in her body, silently noting the softness around her midsection and the fullness of her breasts. She looked like a grown woman.

Carter mentally chided himself._ Of course_ she looked like a grown woman, she _was_ a grown woman. But _not_ the deputy Carter remembered or loved. Not his partner, his best friend. She was _an entirely_ different person, who had led a different life, was living in a different reality, a seperate Eureka, with a man she so obviously loved- loved enough to have his children. She had her own history, her own life story; she'd walked a different path, made different choices. Obviously, from what she'd told them, she'd accepted Zane's proposal, and they'd been married five years, with two little girls- one of them, just a week old. Obviously, she'd let her heart lead the way instead of her head, she hadn't hesitated, hadn't broken Zane's heart.

She knew what she wanted, and had taken it.

"You _really aren't_ from here, are you?" He asked softly, crossing his arms. Jo shook her head, the quick ponytail she'd put it in earlier bounced against her shoulders.

"No S... Carter." She cleared her throat softly, correcting herself. He nodded, not missing how the former Army sergeant seemed to rear her head briefly. A small part of him chuckled, at the memory of how_ long_ it had taken him to get that part of her to uncoil. By the time his first year anniversary in Eureka had come, she no longer stood at attention, nor addressed him or anyone else as Sir or Ma'am. She relaxed, let her personality show and, Carter discovered- surprisingly- that she had quite the repressed rebellious streak.

But as soon as Zane entered town, that streak began to show. Once they became involved- both romantically, sexually, intellectually, and after a couple minor foot-in-mouth setbacks- she began to loosen up more. She let the repressed girl in her out more often, never wearing her hair down loose, but taking it out of the severe bun it'd been constrained to. She wore it back in her customary ponytail, or, when the occasion so struck her, in a loose braid down her back. Carter had to admit, he loved watching her braid her hair; the black strands of silk ran through her fingers like water, slipping into place easily with practiced movement. She never wore makeup- she was stunning without it, and didn't need it- except on occasion, and very,_ very_ rarely did he ever see her in a dress.

Christmas and church, but that was about it.

She never mentioned what she truly wanted out of life, but Carter knew. Everyone in Eureka knew.

Marriage- a strong, stable, loving marriage, like her parents had had before cancer and death ripped them apart- and children- beautiful, independent children. And during the last few weeks, there wasn't any doubt in Carter's mind who's name she wanted to take, who's children she wanted to have.

He stood across from her, talking to Henry, going over the information he and Fargo had collected.

Zane.

He had _always_ been part of the equation, even_ before_ he came to Eureka.

Sure, they'd had their ups and downs, like every couple, but they'd gotten through it, built a strong relationship- so strong, that Zane had offered marriage- but apparently, not strong enough to withstand Jo's self-doubts.

But_ this_ Jo seemed certain of her life and her future, she knew what she'd wanted, and gone after it, not a doubt in her mind. In her timeline, she'd accepted Zane's proposal, married him, created the family she dreamed about. Even if she was no longer in her Eureka, she knew her place in the world.

Across the room, Henry caught Zane watching her. He chuckled softly, causing Zane to turn back to him. "What's so funny, Henry?" The older man shook his head.

"Nothing. I... I just can't help thinking about... the beauties your girls would be. If they look anything like Jo, you'll have to beat the boys off with a stick. Or a taser."


	31. Chapter 31

**R****ifiuto: Non Miriena**

Luca stared at her, eyes wide in shock. "J... _Josie_? You... you _can't_ be serious."

She lowered her head, taking a deep breath. "Unfortunately, Luc, I am. I'm the time traveler." Mansfield sighed; obviously he was as shocked as Luca. He couldn't believe it; Jo... his beloved Josefina... his precious goddaughter... a... _time traveler_...

Time travel was the stuff of legend. Something H.G. Wells had created to pass the time; _Back to the Future_ and _Wizard of Oz_... science fiction novels and corny TV shows. Actors like Wil Wheaton and Colin Ferguson, Erica Cerra and Niall Matter, who made a living entertaining TV audiences with crazy, non-believable science fiction antics and loveable small towns caught in the middle of it all. It was fake. Smoke and mirrors. One of many men behind the emerald curtain, not to be believed.

But now-

Now, here stood Jo, his beloved, beautiful goddaughter... his Josefina... admitting... to _time travel_.

After a moment, Mansfield said, "You're sure, Jo?" He prayed that she'd tell him no, that it was all a prank, a gag to welcome her brother to Eureka. But she lowered her head, nodding. She swallowed.

"Yes." She took a deep breath, and when she looked up again, tears swam in her brown eyes. "Yes, Uncle Theo. I'm certain." He sighed, closing his eyes for a moment to gather his thoughts. Luca, who'd remained silent for so long, shook his head.

"No. No, Josie, you can't do this. This isn't real... my... my _baby_ _sister_..."

"Is a time traveler. I'm sorry Luc. I'm so sorry." Jo choked out, biting her lip as she went to him, wrapped him in a hug. Luca closed his eyes, struggling to remain calm. Mansfield watched, his heart breaking in two.

"I'm sorry, Jo, but... I'm going to have to... detain you." She nodded, stepping back. She gestured towards her office, calm back in place.

"I know the way. Let's go, boys." Then, she started off, back erect, as though she were present at Ricco's funeral, waiting to present the flag to her father. Luca and Mansfield watched her go for several minutes before falling into step behind her. Luca glanced back as he heard someone yell his sister's name; a man was rushing towards them- was that her husband?- but after a moment, Luca continued on, struggling to hide the tears in his eyes. The walk to her office was calm, quiet. Once inside, Jo went to portrait of Obama and lowered it, punching in the code to her holding cell. After the door slid open, she stepped inside, taking a seat on the bench as Mansfield shut the door. Luca stood across from her. "Why, Josie?" She took a shaky breath.

"Because. I couldn't risk anyone else. Not Zane... not my girls... not Carter or Allison or Fargo or any of the other hundreds of people in this town that I love. The burden is _mine_, Luc. I have to pay the price. Dad taught us that." He sighed, leaning against the glass. A moment passed before he said,

"You can't do this, Josie. You have a family, a _life_ here. You can't just... turn yourself in, whether it's true or not. You have those two beautiful girls to raise. You're supposed to raise them to become kick-ass weapons experts like you, and... _maybe_ have a slight interest in physics. You're not supposed to leave them. You're supposed to grow old and grey with that... former felon husband of yours, not die young like Mom. You _can't do this_, Josie." She'd closed her eyes as he'd talked, listening as tears slid down her cheeks. Eventually, she shook her head.

"I don't have a choice, Luc-"

_"Yes you do!"_

_"Not if it means putting everyone I love at risk! I'm not going to risk my children! I'm not going to risk my husband._ At least with Zane, they'll still have one parent." Luca shook his head violently. He couldn't believe how calm she was, how... certain. This wasn't his Jo, this wasn't the girl he'd grown up with back in Jersey. She'd followed him everywhere, picked his side when they went up against their older brothers...

"_I can't sanction my baby sister! We've already lost Ricco! And Davie- God only knows if he's still alive or not! We can't lose you too!"_ She got up, going to him.

"You don't have a choice, Luc. This is the only way to keep everyone safe. Including Zane and the girls, and including you." He shook his head. "It'll be okay." He looked up at her. "Trust me." A moment passed, before he nodded. Then, he moved away, taking a seat across from her desk. Mansfield sighed, ending the phone call he'd been on while the siblings talked.

"The military police will be here soon. Until then, I'm to take you to interrogation and start questioning." Jo nodded, hands behind her back. Mansfield let her out, gesturing for her to take the lead, but she shook her head. Mansfield sighed; Jo fell into step beside Luca. The siblings talked softly until they arrived, and silently, Jo slipped into the chair, as Luca reluctantly cuffed her to the chair.

"I'm treating my baby sister like a common criminal-" He choked out. She looked up at him as he worked on the last cuff.

"It's okay, Luc. I'll be fine." He kept quiet as he stepped back and Mansfield took a seat across from her. The older man watched her for several minutes, pressing the play button on the recorder before whispering,

"Where are you from, Josefina?"

Even though she was facing sanction for time travel; a trial, sentence and death, she was calm. She sat erect, head held high, mind clear. Mansfield sighed; James had raised her well. She took a deep breath, closing her eyes briefly before swallowing and meeting his eyes.

"Eureka, two thousand ten."

"And... what is it like in your universe? Are there any main differences with the people in your time than in this one?"

"It was almost the same as here. Carter is still the sheriff in my timeline. Dr. Blake is the Head of Global Dynamics, Dr. Deacon is Eureka's mayor, Dr. Fargo is Dr. Blake's assistant, Dr. Monroe had just arrived to Eureka, and..." She swallowed. "Dr. Donovan and I aren't married, we do not have children, we were just about to get engaged. In my time, Dr Donovan isn't the Head of Section Five and I'm not the Head of Security. In my time, he is one of the high-ranked phsycists, and I am Sheriff Carter's deputy."

Mansfield nodded. "When did you arrive in this new timeline?"

"Almost five months ago..."


	32. Chapter 32

**R****ifiuto: Non Miriena**

He skidded to a stop in front of her office. Something tugged at him, screaming that she wasn't there. It took several minutes for him to be able to form a calm, coherent thought in his head, and as he struggled to think, he heard a very familiar voice behind him. "Zane!" He turned, to see Jo's older brother rush towards him. Luca was distraught, yet determined, to get his baby sister out of the mess she'd gotten herself into.

"Luca?" The older man doubled over to catch his breath. "What are you-"

"Uncle... Theo... arrested... Josie. She's in... federal holding... down in... Section M... we have to get her out. I can't... I can't lose another sibling. And... certainly not the mother of my two beautiful nieces." Luca said, straightening. Zane nodded. He knew how close Jo and Luca were- in age, in temperment, in personality, in everything. Twins, two years apart. So deeply connected, it was impossible to tell where one started and the other ended. Of all of Jo's brothers, Zane had gotten along most with Luca. Maybe it was the same tempermant, or the fact that the same woman stood between them, wrapped in their hearts. Either way, Zane felt most connected with Luca when it came to his in-laws, and thought of him as if he were his own blood relative instead of just one by marriage. "You know this facility better than I do, Zane, you lead the way."

The two men dashed off, through the intricate maze of halls and floor levels, passing by Zane's own level- Section Five- and just missing Level Q, which was two floors above Section M. When they finally made it down to M, Luca took over; he remembered where Jo was, knew how to get to interrogation from there. Once they reached the door, he pulled Zane aside.

"I'll create a distraction. You just focus on getting Jo out." But when Luca pulled open the door, they were gone. "Shit. They've already got her." He paced back and forth for a moment, thinking. "The loading bay. Come on."

The first thing Zane was going to do was talk to her about major decisions like this.

No.

The first thing he was going to do was kiss her and never let her go. Lift her into his arms, and tangle his fingers in her hair. Push her against the wall and make love to her; wild, passionate love. He was going to delight in pulling his name from her vocal chords, nip at her neck until she bruised, tug on her lips until they were swollen and bleeding. He was going to whisper sweet nothings in her ear, tell her how much she meant to him, and threaten to lock her in her own holding cell if she ever pulled an insane stunt like this again. He was going to pull her into his lap and seduce her until she couldn't see straight.

But first, he had to get to her.

They skidded to a stop out in the parking lot; Mansfield turned when Luca called out to him. "You can't do this, Uncle Theo! Josie needs to stay with her family! Her girls needs her!"

Mansfield sighed, waving the military personnel away as he went to the younger man. CIA military personnel had already arrived to take her away. "Luca, I-" He stopped when he saw Zane. Suddenly, his back straightened, and he narrowed his eyes. "Hello Zane." The younger man nodded. He knew that General Mansfield had never liked him, nor did he particularly like the General, but for Jo's sake, they pretended to get along. In fact, not long after their engagement was announced, Mansfield had taken Zane aside and talked to him, told him that if he did anything to hurt his precious, beautiful goddaughter, that the young man would have to answer to him. Zane had promised to be good, and had so far kept his promise.

The old general had been there when they'd gotten married; he'd been pacing the lobby of GD's infirmary when Jo gave birth to Dylan that long ago night. He'd been there for every birthday, every Thanksgiving, every Christmas... it was common to see Mansfield among the Lupo-Donovan clans, and after a while, Zane came to accept the older man's presence; even enjoyed being in his company. Mansfield adored Dylan, and had fallen in love with Brooke- he insisted that, because they were his goddaughter's children, they deserved to be just as spoiled by their grand-godfather as their grandfather. And because of the close relationship he had with Jo, the young parents allowed it. But now, all he saw, was a hinderance to freeing his wife.

"It's... good to see you again, General Mansfield, but... I..." He took a deep breath, struggling to find the correct words. "I want to talk to Jo. Please. I just... I just want to say goodbye."

Mansfield studied him; he knew this young man, and while he hadn't _always_ accepted his darling Josefina's choices, he did have to admit that this was one relationship that had changed his little ballerina's life for the better. Zane was a good man, with a good heart, and a love that enveloped Jo so deeply that it touched her soul. He was good for Jo; a perfect match. A bit of a headache for her at times, but overall, a perfect match. The fact that he'd given Jo two beautiful girls, and managed to always put a true smile on her face- well, those little acts won the young scientist extra brownie points from the tough old general. After all, Jo's happiness was first and foremost, the most important thing to Mansfield, like it was to James. A moment of tense silence took over, before he nodded.

"Certainly, Zane. Go on." He gestured for the sentries to take a break, and let the other man head to the van that held her.


	33. Chapter 33

**R****ifiuto: Non Miriena***

"_Don't tell me you believe this too, Allison_. Out of _all of you_, _you_ would be the one who would call this whole time travel idea a hoax!" Jo cried, as Allison pushed her back into her office and followed. Once the doors were closed behind them, Jo turned to Allison, a glare on her pretty features._ "Talk. Now."_ She snarled. The good doctor glanced at Carter, who'd called Henry, Fargo and Grace into the office as well. The others all waited for Allison to speak, but instead, she turned to Carter.

"Go on, Carter. Tell her."

"Ah... b... wh... you... y..." The sheriff stammered, unable to form a coherent sentence as the other five occupants in the room stared at him. Jo raised an eyebrow, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Well, _I'm waiting_." A moment passed, before Carter said,

"Where do you want us to start, Jo?"

"Oh, gee, I don't know... maybe..._ the beginning_?" She snapped. The others- minus Allison and Henry- cringed. They'd known Jo the longest, had been in Eureka when she'd first arrived- a weary, fragile, damaged Afghanistan veteran with a long road of recovery ahead of her; they'd watched her slowly regain her independence, her life back. Both Allison and Henry had helped her learn the ropes when she settled into her position as deputy under Sheriff Cobb. Both had watched her date disaster after disaster- Callistar, Bogan, and that unfortunate misadventure with Taggart- only to have her give up on men for a year or two, until...

Until Zane came into town.

And suddenly, Allison and Henry watched as Zane flirted with her endlessly, did everything he possibly could to get her attention, from buying her lingerie to taking her to the ballet. Though they also watched as the young scientist put his foot in his mouth more times than they could count. It was quite funny, some of the things Zane got in trouble- or that Jo blamed him- for. From screwing up their first date to trying to get her to cuff them together with the extra long handcuffs Carter had gotten her for her birthday, from experimenting with her shampoo to make some sort of unknown chemical and _accidentally_ turning her hair invisible after she used messed with shampoo, to hacking into Carter's computer and putting 'VACATION TO BOSTON' on every day for a year on her calendar and then _taking_ her to Boston for a three month vacation because he thought Carter 'worked her too hard', to learning how to make grilled chicken and feticcuni alfredo because it was one of_ her_ favorite dishes.

Allison and Henry knew how important Zane was to Jo; their Jo knew it too, she'd just been too scared, to unsure, to commit to him. Zane had surprised her, spooked her, and she'd faultered. Yet when she'd come to this time, she's told him yes, even though he had no memory of their almost-engagement. And... wherever she was now...

Allison sighed. She hoped that wherever Jo was now- if she'd returned to their old time, or ended up in another- that she was safe. That she'd found the happiness she'd gone without in this time, that she'd almost had in their time.

Jo looked from Carter to Fargo to Henry to Allison to Grace and back, waiting. Allison knew how nervous she was making Carter. The man sat sweating from fear. The others all stayed silent. Only Grace looked calm.

Figures.

Grace- who in their timeline, they'd all only just met- knew Jo better than anyone in this timeline. At least... of their small circle. Allison didn't entirely trust Jo's three companions; she'd rarely seen the girls, let alone met them when they were at Jo's in their timeline. Once the three came stateside to visit, Jo snatched them up and didn't let them out of her grasp until they left at the end of their leave. The only other person who maybe knew them better was Zane, but in this timeline...

Allison shivered. In this timeline, he was dead- or, at least the Zane they knew and loved.

She sighed, taking a seat on the step leading into Jo's office. Head in hand, she watched the young Head of Security pace in front of Carter, wondering _what_ exactly led her down this path. It didn't make any sense. The Jo Allison knew and loved was kind- sweet even- and thought of those she loved before herself. She was loyal, fiercely so, and judged others on their actions, not their words. She'd grown up in a military family, served herself, watched two of her closest friends die, held her brother in her arms as he took his last breath, suffered from her own horrific injuries when she returned stateside.

So what, on God's green earth, had turned this Jo so cold and... heartless? So bitter? So... dare Allison_ think_ it?... vengeful?

From what she'd seen of this Jo, the woman kept her cards just as close to her vest as theirs had, except she kept everything under lock and key- from emotion to thought to personality. Come to think of it, Allison hadn't seen a hint of Jo's true personality since she'd returned from... wherever she'd been when they first showed up. Not a kind word to any of them but Grace, not a thoughtful gesture, not even a smile in their direction. It was like...

Like she didn't trust them.

The Jo Allison knew wasn't like this one. She wasn't cold, wasn't angry... Hurt, lost and struggling to find her place in the world, yes, but not... not this.

Somehow, someway, because of something or someone, Jo had turned her back on fancy notions and childhood dreams. Fairy tales, stories of true love and soul mates were just fables to fool children before throwing them out into the real world. Allison couldn't believe something so horrible- whatever it was- could do this to Jo. Even though this wasn't _their_ Jo, she was still Jo.

_"Well?"_ Allison looked up as Jo's dark eyes landed on her. _"Are any of you going to talk?"_


	34. Chapter 34

**R****ifiuto: Non Miriena**

Jo looked up. Zane slipped into the van. He threw his arms around her, burying his face in her hair. "Zane?" Moments passed, and she held him, relishing the feel of his body in her arms, before she pulled away and took his face in her hands. "Wh... what are you doing here?"

_"How could you do that? What the hell were you thinking, Josefina!"_ She opened her mouth to speak, but he cut her off, crashing his lips onto hers like salty waves upon the shore of Boston Harbor. He drank her in, pulling her close until she melted into his embrace, grasping his shirt within her fist. He nudged her lips open, and she allowed it, enjoying the feel of his tongue against hers, a soft moan escaping her throat. He pulled away all too soon for her liking, and pulled her into his arms, tucking her beneath his chin, against his chest. _"God, Jo..."_ He pulled away to look at her. _"How could you do that? How could you go to Mansfield and turn yourself in? How? Why? You know how important the girls are! You really want to take their mother away from them?"_

She shook her head. "_I took their mother away anyway! When I came here, I took her away! I'm not their mother! I look like her, I talk like her and act like her, but I'm not her! Not the one they know!_" She replied, tears in her eyes. Zane took her face in his hands.

_"They love you just the same. It doesn't matter. Not to them and not to me. You're their mother, they love you! They need you... I. Need. You."_ He whispered, pressing his forehead against hers. They sat in silence for several minutes, becoming lost in each others' comforting embrace. _"I can't lose you. Damn it, Jo, don't you understand? I have no life without you in it! I can't let you do this."_

He held her close, pressing a kiss to her cheek, before going to the door, tugging her with him. "Zane, where are you- No! Let me go!" He turned back to her.

"I'm not letting you go. I can't. We're going to get you out of this mess, okay?" She stopped, staring at him, confused.

"What do you mean 'we'? Zane... who's helping you?" She asked. He sighed, meeting her eyes.

"Luca." Her mouth dropped, and she pulled away.

"No. _No!_ I... I can't... I can't let you do this... _I can't let you risk my brother!_" He pulled her close, rubbing her back. It took several minutes before she was able to calm down.

_"And I can't risk my wife! Trust me, Jo. Please_." Minutes passed in silence; seconds that stretched like hours, as she thought about it. Maybe she was making a mistake, but one look at Zane's face, told her she could trust him. He led her to the door and silently pushed it open. Luca was talking to Mansfield- the two had wandered off in another direction, but they could hear Luca's voice- and the sentries were off doing God knew what. Several minutes passed, Zane slipped out of the van, checking for-

"I'm sorry, Zane, your time's up." He turned, to see Mansfield, Luca behind him. Jo stood between her husband and godfather, arms tight around herself. Zane shook his head.

"You can't do this-"

"I don't have a choice." The older man replied, tears in his eyes. He turned to Jo. She went to him, letting him wrap her in a hug. The general held her close, struggling to remain calm.

He'd watched Jo grow up; go from a toddler, just learning to walk, to a little girl, dancing around the living room in a pink tutu and pigtails. He'd been there when they buried Clarissa, had watched the child give up the one thing that truly made her happy. He'd been there when Ricco had graduated The Point, when Davie and Luca followed. And he'd tried his hardest to talk Jo out of following in her brothers' footsteps, and the footsteps of countless other Lupos, generations before her. She'd stood her ground, and graduated top of her class, before joining the Army.

When the towers fell, and two people Jo loved the most were killed in the attack- Tamsen Blythe's older sister Jadie- who had looked on Jo as a little sister- and a childhood friend of the four girls, Dylan Maretti- for whom Jo's oldest child was named- she'd eagerly volunteered to go over. The entire family protested; the boys refused to send their baby sister over to the middle east, and Mansfield himself had even brought up Sole Survivor Policy.

"Military won't allow it, Josefina. If they find out that your brothers and father are already serving in the middle east, they'll make it mandatory that you remain stateside. They enacted this law after the Sullivan brothers were killed on _The Juneau_ in 'forty-eight. The military won't risk wiping out another family." In the end, she and Ricco had gone over; Ricco had been killed, dieing in his sister's arms. Jo herself had been wounded and honorably discharged with a purple heart. Davie had been sent over not long after Jo had returned stateside- in the end, it was Luca, who had been forced to sit this battle out. When Davie had been captured- going on nearly four years- Jo had been pregnant with Dylan. The news that her brother was a POW had sent the young woman into distress, and Dr. Blake had put her on bed rest for the first four months of her pregnancy, for fear of losing the baby. But both had been fine, and Jo had delivered a healthy, seven pound, five ounce baby girl in April.

The sight of Jo cradling her newborn daughter in her arms had only screamed louder that his beloved goddaughter was a grown woman, and not the little girl in the pink tutu he remembered. She'd looked exhausted, but happy as the baby suckled at her breast, and he'd been unable to hide the pride in his voice as he'd chatted with Jo. Zane had settled beside her on the bed, hand in hers, eyeing Mansfield warily. He couldn't blame the young man; they didn't have the best history, and he'd thrown a conniption fit when Jo had met him and her dad at the airport wearing Zane's ring. Though, over the last few years, it was obvious to him that Zane loved Jo deeply, and that he was perhaps the most attentive father that a girl could ever have. Not long after Jo announced that she was pregnant with Brookelyn, the two men had called a truce, realizing that _Jo_ was the shared cause they were fighting for.

Jo had requested he be there for Brooke's birth, and he'd anxiously paced the infirmary lobby during, preferring to be lost in his thoughts in another room, instead of adding to the chaos and stress she'd been facing since her labor started and her water broke at midnight the night before. Zane had sent Dylan out to get him and James, knowing that they'd both wanted to be there when she gave that final push, and the two men had had to keep an excited and curious four-year-old back, despite her begging them to let her watch her baby sister enter the world. After the baby had been cleaned off and laid in Jo's arms, he'd led Dylan to the bed, watching the girl's eyes go wide as Zane lifted her onto his lap and introduced her to Brooke. He'd watched Jo cradle her daughter, gently guide the baby's small mouth to her breast, as motherhood once again wrapped its comforting veil around her. In that instant, when she'd raised her head and smiled at him, he knew that his little ballerina had _truly_ grown up.

But now-

Now, he watched her as he pulled away. She stood silent, looking scared and vulnerable, and for a moment, he was staring at the heartbroken little girl standing next to her mom's grave. This was killing her, he could see it, as much, if not more than it was killing him and Zane and Luca. He sighed. He'd promised that he'd look out for her when she moved to Eureka. James had made sure of it. And when he'd given her the position as Head of Security- at Henry's insistence- it had partially been to keep a better eye on her, and make sure she was safe. Of course, his need to keep watch over her had increased tenfold with the added problem of that bumbling Sheriff Carter, and her evolving relationship with that pain-in-the-ass, Donovan. Nine times out of ten, surprisingly, it was the sheriff that managed to get her _into_ more trouble than not. Her troublemaker boyfriend managed to get her _out_ of the messes the sheriff put her in more than once, even saving her life on the not-too-rare occasion- being electrocuted, contracting a computer virus, discovering that she'd swapped bodies with another GD employee.

Though he also managed to get into as many scrapes with Jo as Carter- getting their feet fused together had to have been the defining moment when Zane realized and decided that he was falling for her; being electrocuted and nearly dieing probably only reinforced the realization, enough to make him _realize_ that he was in love with her- it was clear, very clear, to Mansfield that Zane was in love with Jo. Especially since the girls had been born. Zane's responsibility was too his family; his wife and children, no matter what time or where she was from. His responsibility, his loyalty, his _heart and soul_ belonged to Jo, and Mansfield knew that Zane was willing to risk life and career to take her home. No way would Zane let him take her without a fight. He'd sacrifice his own life if it meant that Jo would go home to the girls- he'd done it more than once in the past; twice when Jo was pregnant, unintentionally, but still.

Mansfield sighed. He had a decision to make. _Let her go, and she gets to raise those two beautiful girls with the man she so obviously deeply loves._ _Turn her in, and you'll be presenting her flag to James in Arlington. And then James will have your heart for dinner following the funeral._

He watched, as Jo went to Zane, wrapping her arms tight around him, burying her face in his shoulder. He watched as Zane wrapped his arms tight around her, melding her body to his as he buried his face in her hair. That husband of hers had grown up so much since he'd first come to Eureka. He was still a pain in the ass- he always would be, as far as Mansfield and everyone else in Eureka was concerned- but Jo loved him, and as long as she was happy...

Her happiness mattered above all else.

_"I'm so sorry I've caused all this..."_ Those pained, weak words snapped him out of his thoughts, and he raised his head.

"Josefina?" A moment passed, before she pulled away from Zane, making her way towards him, Zane following. The two held hands, fingers entwined. Luca looked up from his pacing. No one said a word, waiting for Mansfield to speak. "Go." Jo stared at him, confused.

"Uncle Theo, I... I don't under-"

"Go. Go home to your girls, Josefina. They need you. Zane needs you." He said, glancing at her husband. She glanced back at Zane, before turning back, struggling to understand.

"Huh... I... I don't understand..."

"He's letting you go, Josie." She turned to Luca, who'd stopped pacing. "He's giving you back your life." She shook her head.

"This isn't my-"

"It is now and for the near future. So you make the best of it." She didn't move, turning back to Mansfield.

"Uncle Theo, you can't be-" Mansfield sighed.

"Go back to your girls, keep _your mouth shut_ and do _your job_, Josefina. Raise those beautiful daughters of yours, keep watch over GD, keep the town from blowing up, get some _semblence of control_ over that troublemaker spouse of yours... I don't care what you do! Make love to your husband and concieve as many babies as you can... _just do it!_ And do it as often as you possibly can! Most people don't get a chance like this, and I'm not going to have you throw it away because you were _raised to do the right thing_! Every once and a while you need to break rules to get to your happiness- it was Clarissa's philosophy! You _are not_ Clarissa! You _are not_ destined to die young and _not_ like this! You understand me, Josefina? You _are not your mother_! Your mother was a beautiful woman with a beautiful soul, but she took so much for granted, and by the time she realized, she was on death's door. You are not- _are not-_ to repeat her mistakes. Now you go home and you _stay there_. You pull those girls into your arms and tell them you love them and that they're the most precious things in the world to you. You play with them and make cookies with them and read stories to them and you cherish every moment. _I don't want to see you back here again!_ Not unless it's under GD orders, you hear?"

She nodded, turning to go. But something made her stop, and she turned back. With tears in her eyes, she asked,

"Why Uncle Theo?"

He swallowed. "Because I watched you struggle after Clarissa's death. I watched your mother die, and saw a part of you die with her- a part you've never gotten back, no matter what timeline. I don't want to see those two girls go through what you did. No child should watch their mother's coffin be lowered into the ground at eight-years-old. You were the last. Those girls will have their mother _and_ their father, no matter the state of your conscious. You will not repeat your mother's mistakes. Zane will make sure of it, I'll make sure he does." He glanced at the young man, who nodded. "Now go."

Jo rushed to him, wrapping him in a hug. "Thank you, Uncle Theo." He pressed a kiss to her forehead, before she hurried back to Zane.

"Go with them, Luca. As far as the parking lot of GD. I'll figure out something to tell the other guards and the DoD. And _be careful_!"

He took a deep breath, watching as the three rushed off into the distance back towards GD. _You're little girl's safe, Clarissa. I'm making sure of it._


	35. Chapter 35

**R****ifiuto: Non Miriena**

"_I can't believe Uncle Theo would do this!"_ Jo said once they'd made it to the parking lot. Luca took a deep breath, leaning against his sister's car. Jo looked around. "What's Uncle Theo going to tell them?" She turned to her brother.

"He'll think of something, Josie. He always does." Luca replied. She nodded.

"How do we-"

"You two take the bike. I'll move Josie's car into the underground garage and head back to Uncle Theo. Let me know when you two get home. If anything happens, call. _Understand_, Josie?" She nodded. "Good." She wrapped him in her arms.

"I'm so sorry-"

"Hey, none of that, Josie-Lou-Who. It's not your fault. You were just trying to get home." She nodded. "I think you found a better one." He said, glancing at Zane, who lowered his head and put his hands into his pockets. Luca pressed a kiss to her forehead. "Now go home. Kiss those little girls for me. I'll see you both at Christmas."

"Thanksgiving, Luc."

"I'll try, Josie, I promise."

"Thanks Luc." She said, wrapping him in a tight hug and pressing a kiss on his cheek. He nodded.

"Now go, Josie." He gently pushed her towards Zane. She went, going to her husband. He leaned against the bike, watching, a small smile tugging at his lips, his blue eyes brimmed with concern. She took his hand.

"Thank you." He nodded.

"You're welcome." They stood in silence for several minutes, before she said,

"You'll be aiding an escaped criminal." She looked back at Luca, who'd found the key she'd hidden in the glove compartment. _Both of you._

Zane thought a moment.

"I'll arrest myself later... or... better yet, I'll just have you arrest me." He said, climbing onto the bike and looking back at her. She rolled her eyes, climbing up behind him. Then, she leaned over, pressing her lips to his. He smiled against her mouth. "I never thought I'd get to feel that kiss again." She cradled his cheek.

"Neither did I."

She glanced back at Luca, who nodded to her, watching as she wrapped her arms tight around Zane's waist and the two left the parking lot. Once they were gone, Luca drove his sister's car down to the underground garage.

She pressed her cheek against his back, breathing in his scent. Neither talked- they couldn't anyway, because of the sound and wind. Not that it mattered. They were back together; they'd be able to raise the girls- _together_. He reached up briefly, squeezing her hand. She squeezed back, a loving, tender embrace. He couldn't help letting his thoughts wander as they returned home. He'd taken Jo out on his bike several times- in fact, _he'd_ been the one to suggest selling it when Jo told him she was pregnant. He'd thought of their future, and a bike... well, bikes and babies don't mix.

Jo had other ideas. The first few weeks of her pregnancy, she'd insisted they take the bike- she wanted her child to grow up knowing this part of her father's past. Zane had bought the bike and restored it when he was sixteen- it was his proudest accomplishment, until the girls, of course. He'd been unwilling to risk the health of his unborn daughter, but Jo had called Allison in to talk, and he'd agreed. Hearing the reassurance from Allison's mouth barely eased his fears, but he went along with Jo's wishes. Until they got the news about Davie. Now, going on three- nearly four- years, Zane often wondered where his brother-in-law was, if he was even still alive. For Jo's sake, he prayed Davie was.

Eventually, they rounded the curve to Corolis Loop, pulling into the driveway. He cut the engine, and pulled off the helmet. Jo tossed her hair over her shoulder, pulling away to look at him. He turned to her.

"You ready to do this?" She shook her head. After a moment, he reached out and took her hands. "We'll be okay." She nodded, looking up at him. He leaned over, capturing her lips in his, pulling her close. She drank in his kiss, arms going around his neck, struggling to remain calm. When he finally pulled away and got up, Jo took his hand, letting him tug her to her feet. They walked toward the house hand-in-hand, sharing glances that screamed volumes. They took their time going up the steps, and Jo hesitated at the door. Zane squeezed her hand reassuringly, before opening it and stepping inside.

_"Daddy! Mommy!"_ Before Jo had even stepped into the house, Dylan's arms were wrapped around her, her face buried in Jo's legs. Jo pulled away from Zane, kneeling down and scooping the child up. "Auntie Allison said you were never coming back!" The child cried, burying her face in Jo's shoulder as she wrapped her legs around her mother's waist.

"Well Aunt Allison was wrong." Zane said, glancing at the others. Grace was entertaining Brooke on the sofa, Henry beside her. Carter and Fargo stood talking softly; Allison was off by herself, pacing.

"Jo turned herself in. She's supposed to-" Allison started, eyes landing on Jo. Zane stepped in front of his wife, prepared to go after the good doctor and throttle her if need be.

"Turning _this_ Jo in _won't_ bring _ours_ back." Zane replied, teeth clenched. "Besides, it doesn't matter what timeline she's from, we end up together just the same! In every universe, in every timeline, there is another Jo and I, just like there is another Carter and another Henry and Fargo and Grace and you, Allison... and in those... infinite universes, Jo and I end up together. It doesn't matter _when_ and it doesn't matter _how_, it just matters that _we do_."


	36. Chapter 36

**R****ifiuto: Non Miriena**

**A/N: Have you noticed? Throughout this whole thing, Jo's told the girls that she loves them, but _not once_ has she _ever_ said it to Zane...**

She rolled over to see Zane settling down beside her. "Hey." She couldn't help the smile tugging at her lips as she reached out and ran a hand down his chest. A moment passed, as she stared into his eyes before she whispered,

"Hey yourself, gorgeous." He grinned at her crookedly, running a hand over her hips as she shifted onto her back, reaching up to trace his jawline. He searched her face for several minutes, before leaning down and capturing her mouth. He nudged her lips open without preamble or tantalizing teasing, slipping his tongue into her mouth as he ran a hand up her side, stopping to gently cup her breast. He studied and tasted her, drinking her in with all the fervor of a starved man surviving on strictly air alone. The kiss deepened, and he wrapped his arm around her waist, pulling her on top of him as he shifted onto his back. Her thighs hugged his hips, and he let his hands wander, moving over her stomach and down her hips, slipping between her thighs.

A soft groan escaped her throat, and she tightened her hold on him, fingers tangling tighter into his hair. Their near-permanent seperation earlier that afternoon had only heightened the need to be as close as they possibly could to one another. They were never going to let each other go again. She ran her hands down his chest, her short nails nicking his skin. After a moment, she leaned down and captured his lips in hers in a kiss that sent his brain into overdrive. "Make love to me, Zane." She whispered as she pulled away from him. He watched her for a moment, searching her face, before pulling her head back down. Somehow, they shifted positions, and she found herself sitting in his lap, her legs wrapped tight around his waist. He moved his lips to her neck, nibbling gently as his hands moved over her body, caressing silken skin and satin hair. She groaned, throwing her head back to give him better access to her throat. "Keep going, babe, please."

She groaned as he slid his fingers over her stomach and lower. It amazed him at how slender she was- even after pregnancy and childbirth, she was still as slender as ever. She wasn't fully back to her normal, defined image, but she was getting there. She planned on racing him tomorrow during their jog- AIDA would take care of the girls, and alert them if anything went wrong or they were needed at home. It was her first run since Brooke's birth, and she planned to enjoy it. Just like she planned to enjoy this.

He nipped gently at her neck, leaving a series of bruises along the smooth slope of her throat and over her collarbones. Beautiful bruises that would let everyone know that she was his, and his alone, come Monday morning. She tangled her fingers in his hair, arching her back, pushing into him, gasping in pleasure as she felt him rub against her. Every nerve was on fire with anticipation, excitement. This loving was going to be sweeter; though they caressed and kissed, bit and teased, it was slower, gentler. They both knew how close they'd come to being ripped apart.

"Make love to me, babe." She choked out, as he returned his lips to her neck, going after the sensitive skin beneath her ear. _"Please..."_ Before she could say anything else, he'd moved her onto her back- a move Casanova himself had to have invented- and slipped into her. Every muscle in her body tensed at first as he slowly moved into her. She wanted wild and passionate, not caring and gentle. Though she loved that he was so concerned- enough to take it slow in their lovemaking- it didn't help the fact that she was struggling to take control of the situation; something Zane was already doing.

Control freaks, both of them.

They took their time, finding each other and relishing the feel of their bodies sliding together. She tangled her fingers once again in his hair, tightening her grip as it took a passionate turn. She groaned in delight as he moved deeper, tangling her fingers so deeply into his hair, they'd most likely have to surgically remove her fingers from her hand to get them out of his hair. She looked into his eyes- the one thing Zane always counted on, was that she would watch him as they reached their breaking point. Always, they _always_ locked eyes as their climax rose and they surrendered. He took her face in his hands and stared into her eyes. They brimmed with mixed emotions, spilling from her eyes to her face.

Control freaks and passionate lovers.

Adrenaline junkies.

Though they'd mellowed out- well, Zane and his Jo- since the girls had been born, the passion was still there, and the desire to push the envelope like they'd always done. Why had she expected it to be any different with her? Essentially, she was still the same woman, just from a different time and possessing different memories, but the feelings and emotions were still there. Still screaming loud and clear that they were-

"I love you, Josefina." She opened her mouth to speak, struggled to form the words, and after several minutes of stammering, she grabbed him, pulling him down to her in a bone-crushing kiss.

When they lay in bed afterwards, Zane buried his face in her hair, pressing a kiss to her cheek. He spooned himself protectively and possessively around her, holding her close and placing sleepy kisses on her skin. "I really do love you, Jo." She lay beside him, fingers tangled in his, lost in thought. Those three little words scared her to death. She couldn't say it. Not to him, not this Zane.

Not yet.

And maybe, just maybe, if she played her cards right, she would never have to.


	37. Chapter 37

******Rifiuto: Non Mirena+**

"What do we do with her? We can't take her back to my place. She thinks we live at-"

"Her place. Yeah, I know."

Zane sighed, watching as Jo engaged in a conversation with AIDA. He turned back to the tablet in his hands, before setting it on the table. "This isn't possible. But everything_ says_ it is. Look at this, Carter. She has exotic particles in her skin-_ six different_ traces of them, she's talking about... some sort of... future we have together, when we don't- if we don't get her under control, God only_ knows_ what'll happen." Carter sighed, reaching out to squeeze the younger man's shoulder. He debated for several minutes, before,

"Are you in love with her?" Zane stopped skimming the information, and looked up at the older man.

"What?"

"Are. You. In love with her? It's a simple question, Zane." The younger man rolled his eyes, pushing away from the counter.

"_Yes,_ okay? I'm in love with her! You of all people should know that, Carter! I asked her to marry me and she... she didn't answer! That _alone_ should tell you what she thinks of me and my wanting to spend the rest of my life with her." Zane snapped; Carter nodded, and even though Zane's words intrigued him, he didn't push it.

"Did you ever consider that your _criminal background_ could be the reason why she... turned you down?" He asked after a moment. Zane looked up at him, a hurt look on his face.

"What... what are you-"

"Carter! How many times do I have to tell you? My husband _isn't_ a criminal. He just has a bit of a rebellious streak." Jo said, going to Zane and inserting herself into his arms. She kissed him quickly before settling against his chest, head tucked under his chin. Zane glanced at Carter, ashen, and shifted uncomfortably, even though he was used to her doing this simple action. But before the sheriff could say anything, Henry interrupted, saying that they should all get some sleep, and that they'd work everything out in the morning. As the others left, Zane took that as his chance to escape, and grabbed his jacket, making a beeline for the door, until Jo grabbed his wrist in her iron grip. "Zane, where do you think you're going?" She asked, a small smile tugging at her lips. He stopped, turning to her.

"Um... home. Like everyone else." She shook her head, chuckling.

"You are home, silly." She replied, going to him. She glanced over his shoulder, waving as the others left, before ordering the door shut. "We're married, remember?" He gave her a small smile, slowly pulling away, being careful to keep an eye on her hands.

"Jojo, I... remember the talk we had_ earlier_? We're_ not_ married. We don't _have_ kids. I proposed to you today, and you hesitated. You aren't from this timeline. You're from another one, remember?" He spoke slowly, as though to a child.

"I believe it is probably best to humor her, Zane, until we figure out what to do. Maybe humoring her would make it easier for her to ease into this reality." Zane's gaze snapped to the ceiling.

"How would humoring her make it easier to ease her into reality, AIDA?" He asked, as she pounced, cutting off all further conversation as her lips landed on his, and she began undressing him. He had no chance to say anything else, because she pulled him towards the stairs. By the time they reached the bedroom, both were partially undressed, and Zane found himself following familiar trails on her skin. Her curves were still there, just softer and more feminine. Her lithe body possessed a softer, gentler side that he wasn't used to. He was used to the firm curves and definition of her stomach- but with this Jo, everything was less defined because of the birth she'd gone through in her timeline. She reached for his belt, and he grabbed her hand, pulling away from her.

"Zane-"

"No, Jo."

"But-" He shook his head, moving away from her.

_"No, Jo."_ He replied, firmer this time. She swallowed, tears springing to her eyes. A moment passed, before he took a seat on the edge of the bed beside her. "Look, I'm sorry. I can't... imagine how hard this is for you- being in a timeline that's different than the one you're from. It must be scary."

"Terrifying." She whispered, pulling her legs up under her. He nodded, reaching out to pat her knee before pulling back, having thought better of it. She looked up at him, vulnerability and heartache in her eyes. He sighed, taking a deep breath.

"Jo... I promise, Henry, Allison and I will do everything we can to get you back to your timeline. Back to your..." He swallowed. Just thinking the words made his heart ache. "your girls, your life. Okay?" A moment passed, and she nodded. Gently, he reached up, brushing a tear off her cheek. "Well, I... I'd better get home. Busy day tomorrow." He got to his feet, hurrying to the bedroom door, when her soft voice stopped him.

"Zane?" He sighed, taking a deep breath. _Don't turn around. Don't turn around._

But he couldn't help himself, and slowly turned to face her. She looked like a child, afraid of the dark. A moment passed, before she took a deep breath, asking,

"Zane?" She quickly licked her lips. "Would... would you... would you stay with me? Please?"

He sighed, unsure of how to respond. It would be better if he just left, headed home, slept on it. But then he caught sight of the fear, the tears in her dark eyes. He really shouldn't have, but he returned to the bed, and she took his hand, giving him a quick, small smile.


	38. Chapter 38

**R****ifiuto: Non Miriena**

**A/N: I moved Luca's...- which now takes place three months after the time travel incident- closer up in the story because I want it to play a _big_ role in being a part of the main reason Jo and Zane decide to try the PTSD device.**

Jo looked up, her eyes going first to the clock- twelve thirty- and then the door; Zane slipped into her office, one of Vincent's to-go cartons and two cups of Vincespresso in his hands.

"I thought you could do with something to eat." He set the carton down on her desk and handed her one of the cups.

"Oh _thank God, I'm starving_." She sat up, eagerly taking a sip from her coffee as he sat across from her. Moments passed, and she savored the coffe before setting the cup down and digging into the carton. "So... what'd you bring?" He chuckled, enjoying the delight in her eyes as she dug into the carton.

"Cashew chicken with truffles, coconut shrimp-"

"You know me _so_ well." She cut in, grinning as she grabbed a pair of chopsticks. "And... it helps that you only bring stuff I like."

"- potstickers and dim sum soup." Jo stopped, her chopsticks halfway to her lips. She glanced up at him as he took a bite of his shrimp.

"Potstickers? Seriously?" She set her utensils down. "Okay, what's wrong?" He furrowed his brow. She took a deep breath; this Zane wasn't stupid, and neither was she. She knew all his little tricks- her Zane had brought certain foods when it came to bad news and good news. Apparently, this one had a lapse in memory.

"Sorry? What are you-" She sighed, sitting back in her chair and grabbing her drink.

"Potstickers tend to mean bad news. Wantons and truffles, those babies mean good news. You brought potstickers." He sighed, sipping his drink.

"And truffles. So, technically, this is both good and bad news. So, which do you want first?" She pursed her lips.

"I don't care, just tell me." He sighed and sat back.

Where to start? How do you tell your spouse that a relative is dead? That she would have to identify the body, bring it home, and then plan the burial? How, exactly, did one go about breaking the news to the woman you loved, without shattering the fragile trust built up since she came to this new time? How, without destroying her in the process?

"Zane? _Hello?_ Are you there?" He looked up, his blue gaze falling on hers. He shook his head.

"Sorry, just... thinking." She nodded.

"About what?" She asked, getting up and going to him. She settled on his lap, wrapping an arm around his neck and staring into his eyes. "Something bothering you? What's wrong, babe?" She whispered, reaching up and running her knuckles down his cheek. He closed his eyes, pressing his cheek into her fingers, breathing in the scent of her skin. Even miles away from the house, hours away from the girls, she still smelled like them- that sweet, heady scent of innocence he loved, that he hoped his daughters never lost. "Zane?"

A moment passed, and he opened his eyes, turning his gaze to hers. "Nothings wrong, Jojo. Not a thing." She stared at him, confused.

"But- you brought-" He shrugged.

"Vincent must have put them in by mistake. I'll tell him not to do it again." She nodded, leaning down and nudging her nose against his. Their lips brushed, and they lost each other in sweet kiss after sweet kiss, until the doors slid open and Carter sauntered in.

"Jo, are you-" He stopped, at the sight of Jo and Zane enjoying lunch. "Oh, you're in the middle of something, never mind."

"Carter, what's wrong?"

He spotted Jo and the coffee she was sipping- Zane's cup, but still. "We were supposed to-" She shrugged.

"Hey, you snooze, you lose." Zane replied, grinning at the sheriff.

"Later, after work." Jo replied. Carter nodded, exasparated. "Hey, if it'll make you feel better, we'll pinky swear." Carter shrugged.

"Ah... well, ya kno... okay." Zane watched with amusement in his eyes as the pair pinky swore. Not long after, he left, promising to meet her in the rotunda after work. Once he was gone, the pair finished lunch and Jo walked Zane to the door.

"So... I'll see you after your... date with Carter?" He asked, leaning against the door jam. She gave him an exasperated look, and he scoffed gently.

"Jackass." She replied, hitting him.

"Oh, exasparated, are we?" He replied, prompting her to hit him harder.

"Watch it, or I'll have you neutered. Although I believe humans call it castration." He rolled his eyes.

"Am I really as bad as a dog?" He asked, his eyes lighting up at their banter. God, how he missed this.

She glared at him. "Not as bad. You're housebroken- that's a plus. And you don't chew on my shoes or drink out of the toilet- although you have this nasty biting habit, but it's only me..."

"I don't hear you complaining about those bites." He replied, his eyes smoky. She glared at him, another look of exasperation crossing her face. He chuckled, reaching out to thumb her bottom lip. "You're cute when you're exasperated, you know that?" She rolled her eyes as he leaned close, his lips grazing her ear. "And let me tell you, _very few people_ do exasperated better than you, Jojo."

Her eyes once again rolled skyward, and she opened her mouth to speak. "You little-" But before she could continue, he pressed a firm, swift kiss to her cheek before pulling away with a whispered,

"I love you."

Despite the annoyance she felt, she smiled at him, squeezing his hand before disappearing into her office. He sighed, watching the doors close behind her. She'd looked so happy when he kissed her; he wanted _that_ to be the image he remembered when he told her tonight- because once the words passed by his lips, he wouldn't see that happy, contented smile again for a long, long time.


	39. Chapter 39

**R****ifiuto: Non Miriena**

**A/N: The line about few people doing exasperated better than Jo is_ actually _something one of the producers said on the commentary for_ Reprise_: "Few people do exasperated better than Erica Cerra." It just sounded like something Zane would say to Jo.**

Jo curled up on the sofa, turning the TV on after dinner that night. "Anything specific you want to watch, Jo?" AIDA asked. The young woman shrugged, tucking her arm under her head.

"The news is fine, AIDA, thank you." She could almost hear the house sigh in annoyance. Apparently, Jo watching the news was _not_ a regular occurence in this timeline.

"Are you sure you wouldn't rather watch some reality TV, or a baseball game? The Yankees are playing the Giants, and Caralee is in jeopardy on-"

_"No thank you, AIDA_." Jo cut in, glancing up at the house, almost as much annoyance in her voice as in the house's. "The news is _just fine. Thank you_."

Not another word was spoken, and Jo settled down, listening to the weather, learning of the hurricane that had ripped through Texas, the current war taking place in Turkey, the new bill the President was about to sign in to law-

"... suicide bombing attack at U.S. Army base in... list of casualties... several missing in action..." She sat up, attention riveted to the screen.

Suicide bombing.

U.S. _Army_ base.

Instantly, images of her own regiment being attacked rushed back to her full force, and she struggled to supress the memories. But when they flashed her brother's photograph on the screen, she covered her mouth, choking out a sob, unable to supress the pain her own war experience had given her.

"Jojo? Sweetheart, what's wrong?" Zane was by her side in an instant, and she shook her head.

"No... Not Luca... _Not Luca_..." She burst into tears, and Zane pulled her into his arms, pressing her against his chest, letting her cry. She clung to him, sobbing. Zane watched the news coverage, silent. He_ should_ have told her. But he hadn't had the courage.

"Daddy? What's wrong? Why is Mommy crying?" Zane turned, to see Dylan in the living room, holding her teddy bear close. He struggled to say something, but drew a blank with every possible word. Eventually, he choked out, "AIDA, call Henry. We need to catch a flight to Germany. _Tonight_."

"Right away, Zane."

Hours passed; the girls were left with the Carters, and ten hours later, Zane found himself nudging Jo awake as the flight landed in Berlin's International Airport. They caught a cab to the hospital that survivors were said to have been carried to, and hurried inside.

"Jo! Zane!" The two stopped at Mansfield's voice, and they turned, to see him rushing towards them. Jo threw her arms around his neck, struggling to take deep breaths.

"How is he? Can we _see_ him? _Was he hurt badly_? When will-" She stopped, at the sight of James standing behind Mansfield. Her father had his hands in his pockets, and he watched his daughter with tears in his eyes. An Army chaplain stood beside him, talking softly, a bible and a string of rosary beads in his grasp. She looked from her father to Mansfield and back, suddenly putting the pieces together. _"No. No! Not... not Luca... he... he can't die... he..."_

She felt Zane's hands on her shoulders, and she struggled to remain calm, suddenly finding the busy hospital waiting room exceedingly crowded and warm. Her head felt ready to explode, and pain coursed through her chest. Minutes passed as she struggled to breathe, and she shook her head. Mansfield reached out for her, tears in his eyes. "I'm so sorry, Josefina."

She pulled away, stumbling back. Zane caught her, steading her as she violently shook her head. _"No! No! You don't get to. You... don't get to tell me that you're sorry! You don't get... to give me your con... dolences... because he's not... dead... he's... he's just... hurt bad... and he'll... he'll be back to his old... prankster self in... a few weeks..."_ Mansfield shook his head, as James went to his only daughter, reaching out to wrap her in a hug.

"No he won't, Peanut. I'm sorry, sweetheart, but... Luca didn't... didn't survive. He... was killed on impact." She shook her head, pulling away from her father.

_"Don't say that! Luca's not dead, he's just hurt! He'll stay here for a few weeks and then... be back stateside... he'll be here in time for... Brooke's first Christmas... he will. I know he will!"_ Zane's grip tightened on her waist; she struggled against him, trying to get free. _"No! Don't touch me! Get your hands off me! Let go of me, damn it! Let go!"_

"You have to _calm down, Jojo. Calm down_." Zane replied, struggling to hold her still. The calm restraint in his voice only made her angrier, and she fought harder. She screamed at them, accused them all of lieing to her, of keeping her brother from her, and eventually, managed to free herself from Zane's grip.

She shoved past her father and godfather, dodging nurses and doctors, patients and visitors as she rushed blindly down the hall. No matter the timeline, she knew the way to her brother's room. Ricco had died in her arms, she'd been there when they'd broken the news to James; this same hospital had beared witness to both Ricco's death and her saving; she knew it, the bones of a family legacy, claiming its latest victim. She heard the others behind her, the sound of nurses and doctors calling out to her, but kept going. Eventually, somehow, she took a turn that led her to the morgue.

It was a mistake. Luca wasn't dead.

She knew he wasn't.

Luca was her _brother_; her twin in every way but birthday and year. Her best friend, her childhood confidante, her partner-in-crime. He wasn't dead; she'd know if he'd been killed. She'd _sense_ it. This was a prank, a cruel, sick joke to get a laugh. Scare his baby sister out of her skin, and then around Christmas, they'd all have a good laugh about it over eggnog and gingerbread.

Eventually, she skidded to a stop in front of the morgue; the door slammed behind her as she rushed inside. The coroners looked up from their work, surprised to see the young American woman stumble into their midst. The older man recognized her; he'd done Ricco's autopsy, given her the news, offered his condolences. He'd worked on countless Lupos before her and her brothers; the morgue was his life, and with each new death, he took pity on those left behind. She had reacted the same way the first time, stumbling into the morgue, the use of a cane and her brother's hand on her arm to steady her. He'd held her to him as the sheet had been folded back, caught her as she crumbled.

_Yes_, he remembered Sergeant Josefina Lupo.

And now, the brother who had cradled her that long ago day lay on his autopsy table.

Silent, he went to the table, gently lowering the white sheet. Jo shook her head, choking out a sob. _"No! God, no!"_ She broke down then, crumbling to the ground, sobs wrenching from her throat. It was there that Zane and the others found her. She was stoic as they led her out of the morgue and back to the waiting area.

"We'll send his body home on the first-" She took a deep breath, turning to her husband.

"Take me home, Zane. Please." And without another word, she left the hospital. He glanced at Mansfield and James, taking a deep breath. He knew Jo, better than their friends, better than even her own family. She'd just lost someone close to her, and wasn't handling it well. A blowup was about to take place, he could feel it in his blood.

Old timeline or new, the same Jo or a different one, the way she reacted to death was always the same. The sudden calm that had just left the hospital was only the beginning, the tip of the iceberg, the calm before the impending, destructive storm. He took a deep breath; he knew, that as soon as they walked through the front door of forty-twenty Corolis Loop, all Hell would break loose.


	40. Chapter 40

**R****ifiuto: Non Miriena**

**A/N: I _know_, I killed Luca. I hated to, but I had to. If it makes you feel better, I cried the entire time I wrote that chapter and this one. **

"Good evening, Jo, Zane. How was your trip?"

"Fine." Jo tossed her coat over the back of the sofa as she passed, hurrying upstairs. The bedroom door slammed behind her.

"Is everything all right, Zane? I'm getting an increased fluctutation in Jo's mood. Is something wrong?" Zane sighed, glancing up at the ceiling.

"Something's not right, AIDA, I can tell you that much." Then, he made his way upstairs, slipping into the bedroom. The door shut softly behind him, and he took a deep breath; Jo was curled up on the bed in her pajamas, her back to him. He sighed softly, getting undressed, before slipping into bed beside her. On instinct, he wrapped an arm around her waist in a hug, but she pushed him away. "Good night, Jo." He whispered, pressing a kiss to her hair. Then, he settled down. Better to let her come to him of her own free will than force her.

AIDA paid close attention, noticing that for the first time since their relationship began, and subsequent marriage, that Zane was not protectively wrapped around Jo. They didn't face each other, refused to engage in the normal late night banter that the house had become accustomed too since the relationship started. The lights were on low, and after a moment, Jo said,

_"Lights off, AIDA. All the way, please."_ The house refused. "I said _lights off_."

"No." Jo took a deep breath, struggling to remain calm.

"And _why not_?" She ground out. When she got no reply, she tried again. Again, AIDA refused to turn the lights off, preferring to leave them on dim.

"I'm afraid I cannot do that, Jo."

"And _why can't you_?" Jo demanded.

"Because you and Zane are not sleeping together." Jo bit her lip, and Zane groaned softly, shifting onto his back.

"AIDA, if this is your way of trying to get us to stop the automatic erasing, you have a sick program. We are _not_-"

"I believe I was not clear in what I meant. I'm sorry for the confusion, Zane." AIDA replied. "What I meant was-"

"What do you mean, _exactly_?" Zane asked, sitting up. The house seemed to sigh for a moment.

"What I meant, was that I noticed that you and Jo are not in your customary sleeping position."

"'Customary sleeping position?'" Jo asked, shifting onto her back. "What the _hell_ is that?"

"Yes. Normally, you and Zane sleep close together. With you either tucked against his chest, or- since your recent pregnancy- you have slept with Zane's arms wrapped around you, holding you to him. I believe the correct term is spooning."

"_Yes._ The correct term is spooning. Now _what the hell_ does that have to do with Jo and I?" Zane asked, annoyance in his voice.

"Given the increase in Jo's temperment tonight, one would think that you would be wrapped tightly around Jo, as a means to almost protect her in your sleep. It was quite a proper position when Jo was pregnant with both Brooke and Dylan."

"I'm _not pregnant anymore, AIDA_." Jo said.

"I don't think it would matter. Zane chooses to-" And here, the house seemed to stumble over the words. "spoon protectively around you, out of habit and peace of mind. I have grown quite accustomed to you and Zane spooning together." The young Head of Section Five rolled his eyes, a growl of annoyance escaping his throat.

"It _doesn't matter what you've become accustomed to_, AIDA. It's _not happening_ tonight."

"Don't you think it should, Zane? Now more than ever, perhaps? What with the emotional turmoil Jo has been thrown into with the loss of a family member." Jo's head snapped up, as Zane collapsed back on the bed, covering his eyes with his arm.

_"Who told you?"_ Jo choked out.

"No one told me, Jo. My sensors picked up your change in mood when you walked through the door, and the only possible reason is that you have been handed the death of a family member." For a brief moment, Jo saw red, and then, without another word, she climbed out of bed.

"You _really want to know who died, AIDA_? _Fine! I'll tell you! We just got back from a ten hour flight to Germany to identify my brother's body! My brother is dead! Luca is dead_!" She turned, briefly glancing around, before grabbing the lamp off the night stand and throwing it against the wall.

"I don't think breaking a lamp will-"

_"SHUT UP, AIDA!"_ The house instantly did as told, as Jo went on her minor rampage, breaking or throwing whatever she could get her hands on. At one point, she grabbed her gun out of its holster and turned on Zane, who'd tried to calm her.

"Jojo, calm down." Zane backed up, hands in the air, eyes going from the gun in his wife's hands to her gaze. Shaky but steady, she advanced, one cautious step at a time, cocking the hammer and resting her finger on the trigger. Her eyes overflowed with tears, and she struggled to take a breath. "Babe, you need to _calm down_. You're not thinking clearly-"

_"How can I think clearly when my brother's dead?"_ She screamed; her hands shaking as she continued to advance. He took a deep breath, struggling to think of something that wouldn't upset his wife further.

"Jojo, baby, I... I know how close you were to Luca... but... he wouldn't want you to do this. You have too much heart. Too much love. You'd be taking us both away from our girls, and Luca wouldn't want that. He'd want us to raise our babies together; not have strangers raise them. They're _his nieces. Think about this, Jo_." He watched with bated breath as she faltered; her dark eyes flicked towards the door, and he knew she was thinking of the two little girls sound asleep in their beds. "Jo, _please_. I _know_ Luca was important to you-"

_"He's my brother! He was the only one I had left!"_ She screamed, her doubt gone.

"I know. I know, sweetheart. I'm sorry."

_"He promised he wouldn't leave!"_

"I know, love-"

_"He promised... just like you... and you left! You left me! Twice!"_ Zane stopped. Suddenly, he had the feeling that this wasn't _just_ about Luca dieing.

She broke down, briefly lowering the gun as her shoulders shook with sobs. Thinking that was a sign that she was going to drop the gun, he went to her, reaching out to grab her hand. But her lightning reflexes were back on alert, and she was pointing the gun at his chest once more. She took a faltering step forward, eyes trained on him. "You _left me. You didn't let me answer... and then you acted as though... what we had... wasn't real... you broke my heart twice over!"_

"I know, babe. But I made up for it, didn't I? We're married, aren't we? We have those two_ beautiful_ girls. We're happy, aren't we? Right, Jojo?" She choked out a sob. Suddenly, he realized what exactly the main upset was about. She blamed herself for him walking out before she could respond to his propsal back in her time. She blamed herself for him not remembering them in the alternate. "Babe, look at me. I'm giving you a chance to answer. I'm sorry I walked out on you before you could answer. I know you hate surprises. I should have taken that into consideration, and I didn't. I'm sorry." He licked his lips, thinking. "But we made up for it, didn't we? You accepted in this time, remember? Remember our wedding, and our honeymoon, and... and Dylan's birth? Brooke's? _Remember_?" She took a step closer; he could see that he was beginning to get through the fog that had clouded her eyes. "Remember, babe?"

She took a deep breath, swallowing. Briefly, she lowered the gun, glancing back at the door, making sure she didn't wake the girls. Taking a deep breath, Zane pounced.


	41. Chapter 41

**R****ifiuto: Non Miriena***

**A/N: I've added more original timeline and original alternate timeline scenes to this, to try to balance out the amount of third timeline story I have... so far... **

Carter took a deep breath. What exactly did she want them to say? 'Sorry Jo, we were just kidding? Of course we aren't time travelers, it was all just a joke?'

Yeah, she'd take that real well.

Moments passed in tense silence, as Jo looked from one to the other. Carter could see her getting angrier and angrier, he could practically smell the smoke, and knew, that the volcano would soon erupt. "Jo, look-"

"They're time travelers. And so were you... or, your... alternate self." Everyone turned; Jo's long black ponytail whipped around her head so fast, he thought she'd given herself whiplash. Zane stood in the doorway, leaning against the door jam, hands in his pockets. Her dark eyes narrowed at him, and after a moment, she went to the bottom of the steps, crossing her arms.

"Oh really?" He nodded. "And... I'm supposed to believe _you_, of all people?" She asked; Zane shrugged.

"Believe me or not, it's your choice." He said, moving past her and going to her desk. Carter immediately scampered away from the younger man, and everyone watched as he fiddled with her laptop.

"What the hell are you doing, Donovan?" She demanded, going to him, but he turned her laptop around, pressing a button.

"Believe me or not, but the evidence speaks for itself." He replied, stepping back and putting his hands in his pockets. Jo watched the screen for a few minutes, before glancing back at Zane.

"What evidence? I don't see jack-" She stopped, catching something out of the corner of her eye. She stepped closer to the desk, leaning over to watch the image. She reached out to push the laptop screen back to get a better look, and accidentally hit the volume, turning the sound on the video up. Instantly, her voice filled the room.

_"What now? You want to tell me how nice my ass looks when I'm holding a gun?"_

_"Well, you do have a nice ass-"_

She turned, looking from Allison to Carter to Henry and Grace and Fargo; they could tell that she didn't believe it. That she thought the video was fake.

"It's not real. There's no way this is real." Carter sighed.

Only Jo would proclaim something as a hoax without seeing it through.

"Just keep watching." Zane demanded. She glared at him, but did as told, turning back to the video.

_"Okay, you wanna have it out?" _She watched herself stand, start to pace behind her desk. Her hands moved, waving back and forth in elaborate gestures that Italians made famous. _"Okay. The truth is... I have been... romanticising our relationship... this entire time." _

She rolled her eyes, moving to turn from the desk and leave. "I don't have time for this-" And shen she turned around, she found Zane blocking her path.

"Just watch it, Jo."

"I don't have to watch any-"

"Just turn around, and finish watching the video!" Zane snapped.

_"There was a reason I hesitated, and now I know what it is."_

_"What are you talkin-"_ She turned, when she heard herself begin to explain.

_"You and I- we don't fit. So I'm over it. I'm over us."_ _She choked out, pulling the chain from her blouse and working on the clasp. "If you want to hang out with..._ Zoe_..." She choked on the name. "Go ahead."_

She watched herself slide the ring off the chain and into her palm._ "I'm done."_ She saw herself throw the ring at him, saw him catch it. She watched him lift the ring up and stare at him, saw the horror on her face as she realized he was real instead of a hallucination. And as he spoke, Jo tugged the gold chain from inside her blouse- her mother's gold chain- and looked down at it, eyes wide in shock.

Allison glanced at Carter, wanting to make sure she wasn't the only one seeing what was unfolding in front of her.

_"What are you doin' with my grandmother's ring, Jo?"_

She turned from the footage to face Zane. He held the ring out, the diamond glinting in the light. Her dark eyes went from the diamond in his hand to the chain around her neck, and after a moment, she pulled the rest of the lavalier chain from inside her black blouse. The beautiful gold spilled into her hands like rivers in the sun, and after a moment, she looked up at him, a triumphant smile on her pretty features.

"See, Donovan, there's _no way_ _that video_ is re-" Her gaze snapped down; the long chain was pooled in her palm, and nestled on top, amid the gold of Jo's family heirloom, lay-

Zane's _ring_.


	42. Chapter 42

**R****ifiuto: Non Miriena**

She struggled.

He managed to wrap an arm around her waist, holding her too him, as he reached down and worked her hold on the firearm loose. Somehow, some way, she let go, and he grabbed the gun as she crumpled. He quickly unloaded the firearm and put it aside, before going to her. He pulled her back against him, pressing her head onto his shoulder as he gently brushed her hair away from her forehead. "Shh... Shh... _Breathe_, Jojo. That's my girl. That's my good girl. Breathe. Deep breaths. Deep, deep breaths. That's it. That's my Josefina." He pressed a kiss to her temple, never stopping his stroking of her hair.

Eventually- after an hour of her heartwrenching sobs- he managed to stand, pulling her to her feet. She didn't stay.

Dead weight didn't even begin to describe it. That mummy that had caused so much trouble that long ago day had been dead weight. Carrying a knocked-out Fargo to the infirmary from Section Eight because of some button-pushing disaster- seriously, _when_ would the man learn?- _that_ was dead weight. Catching his wife as she crumbled to the ground from sheer exhaustion-

That was like a butterfly landing on his finger.

She was the lightest thing he'd ever held, the smallest, lithest thing he'd ever seen, and their girls were just like her. Small, petite even, slender and nearly hollow. In one move, he'd scooped her into his arms and placed her gently on the bed before climbing up next to her. He pulled her into his arms, spooning his body firmly and protectively against hers, his arms going tight around her slender waist. He pressed a kiss to her temple, breathing in her familiar scent.

Gunpowder and...

Motherhood.

That familiar scent that wrapped around her like a cloak- coffee, Dylan's bubblegum shampoo, and the unique, distinct scent of his daughters' bedrooms. He couldn't describe what it was, nor would he ever try, although Carter had done a pretty good job. Innocence, he'd called it.

The scent of innocence.

It coated her skin, sinking into her cells until her entire body was coated in it. It was the heady scent his daughters' gave off- a scent that only a _father_ recognized. The scent that brought him comfort as he held his girls close, as he comforted them. It was a scent a couple of the scientists had tried to bottle- a scent they'd been determined to perfect, and so had gone after his oldest, not long after she turned two. He'd threatened to kill both of them if they ever laid a hand on his precious baby girl, and so far, hadn't had to make good on it. Not that he wouldn't, if it ever came down to it, he'd kill them both and then bring Jo in to finish off the minor details.

He shook his head. He was getting too lost in thoughts when his wife needed him desperately. He pressed himself closer to her, pulling her until she was flush against him. She choked out a sob, turning her head to nuzzle against his cheek as he reached down and took her hands, lacing their fingers. She squeezed, digging her nails into the soft flesh of his palms. He nudged his nose against hers, keeping his eyes closed, letting her cry. Her sobs broke his heart, and he struggled to think of a way to calm her- one that didn't require him leaving the bed or her side. He took a deep breath, nudging his nose gently against hers, in a way to relax her.

By then, she'd turned fully in his arms, eyes still closed. Soft sobs escaped her throat, and she reached up, tracing his features slowly, nudging her nose against his, before pressing her lips to his in a soft kiss. She choked out a sob, kissing him again, just as gently, before wrapping her arms tight around his neck and burying her face in his chest. He held her close, arms tight around her small body. He pressed a firm kiss to her hair, stroking her back.

"I'm so sorry, Josefina. I'm _so, so_ sorry."


	43. Chapter 43

**R****ifiuto: Non Miriena**

"I don't... see why we can't... just skip... the funeral service. We both have to work, it's a good excuse." Zane took a deep breath, turning to her. Jo stood, hands on her knees as she caught her breath. She hated this hill, absolutely hated it, but knew that taking the back route to the bunker and then heading down through downtown Eureka to the park was always good for burning calories and stress. Not as good as _other_ activities, but she'd have to deal. Besides, she and Zane- okay, _she'd_- had been slacking on her runs; Brooke's birth being the main cause, even though _she_ hadn't been the one to give birth.

"We're not skipping his funeral, Jo. It wouldn't be fair to ourselves, our girls, James... or Luca." He replied, sticking his headphones back in his ears again and continuing on. But when he didn't sense her following, he stopped, turning back. She stood, one hand on her hip, the other covering her mouth to keep from crying. She shook her head, taking a seat. She could see the entrance to SARAH a few feet away, and a part of her longed to go bang on the door and wake Carter up, just so she could rant and rave. But she knew she couldn't. Carter had his life, and she had hers, and no matter how close they were, they would never be the type of friends that would cry on each others' shoulders. No matter the timeline.

When she looked up next, Zane was sitting beside her, headphones around his neck. He reached out, taking her hand. Their fingers tangled together, and they sat for several minutes, both noticing how nice their skin looked together. "It's not fair." He moved his blue gaze to his wife's, seeing the tears swimming in the chocolate depths. "We shouldn't be attending his funeral _the week before Christmas_, he should be coming _here._ Spending Christmas Eve with us and the girls... and then going back to Jersey for New Years... this isn't right, Zane_... it's not right_..." He wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her close.

"I know. I know it's not. But we don't have any choice. We owe it to Luca to tell him goodbye. We owe our girls the chance to tell their uncle goodbye. No matter how much it hurts, we have to do this." She buried her face in his shoulder, taking a deep breath. "Hey, tell you what." She looked up at him, waiting. "After Luca's services, we'll spend a few days at your Dad's in Jersey. Okay?" She bit her lip. A moment passed, before she nodded. "Good." He pressed a gentle kiss to her lips before standing and pulling her with him. He walked a couple steps, pulling her with him, before sticking one of the headphones back in his ears and taking off. He turned back at the entrance to the bunker. "You comin' or not, Lupo?"

She rolled her eyes, a small smile tugging at her lips as he goaded her on. A moment passed, before she stuck one headphone in her ear and rushed to catch up. "How many times do I have to tell you? _It's Donovan_!"

The bunker door opened and Carter stepped out in his bathrobe, Allison behind him. "Morning, Carter! Allison!" Jo ignored them, rushing to catch up with her husband. She shoved into him, and he grabbed her around the waist, spinning her around briefly before setting her down. Then, with a quick pat on the ass, he took off, forcing her to race to catch up. The older pair watched them go, Carter shaking his head.

"I will never understand those two."

When the pair returned home, they dropped breakfast off in the kitchen, and then dashed upstairs. A week had passed since Dylan had been taken to the infirmary, and though there were some risidual symptoms- her slight cough mainly- the child was fine. She met her parents at the top of the stairs. "Morning, baby girl. Vincent put your maple bar in with the others today. Go get breakfast; Mommy and I will be down soon." The child nodded, watching as her father headed into their bedroom. Jo gently patted her daughter's head, before following.

There wasn't any play, no chatter or their usual sexual banter. Zane was the first to finish showering, and when he came back into the bathroom to check on her, he found Jo sitting on the floor or the shower, hands in her tangled hair. Tears were running down her cheeks, and she looked up at him with heartbroken eyes. He sighed, helping her to her feet and into the bathroom. "I'm gonna go call Henry. Ask him if we can... take the next few days off to head out to Virginia." Jo shook her head.

_"No-"_

"_Yes_. Jo, this is tearing you apart. A few days away from Eureka will do us all good. We'll... go to the funeral on Thursday, and stay the weekend in Jersey with your dad. It's what's best for all of us right now." Zane told her. The firmness with which he spoke told her there was no room for arguement. Once he had slipped out into the hallway to call Henry, Jo began getting dressed.


	44. Chapter 44

**R****ifiuto: Non Miriena**

**A/N: After Luca's funeral, we will get into the PTSD device... possibly...**

There's no place so beautiful as Arlington National Cemetery in December.

The sight of snow, dusted about the gravestones and statues, the wreaths of holly with red bows resting against each stone, the eternal flame of the Kennedys forever lighting the night sky, the men forever standing guard at the Tomb of the Unknowns.

Zane had never seen a more beautiful sight, except for the sight of the woman seated at his side. Jo sat, stoic, in her uniform. The dark blue pants hugged the slender curves of her hips, her black blouse- normally white, but seeing as she was the sister of the deceased, Mansfield had pulled a couple strings, and they'd made an exception- draped over her torso, each button tucked within the hole to hold the garment closed, and her dark blue jacket- decorated with her awards, patches and medals- cinched her waist in. She looked tinier now than before she'd gotten pregnant with Brooke. She wore her black high heels, and held her dark blue cap in hand, with her white dress gloves. Her long dark hair tumbled down her shoulders; she'd completely forgotten to put it up. Silently, Zane gathered it, twisting the long, dark strands up into a bun, and gently securing it with a hair tie. It wasn't as tight as she used to wear it, but at least it was out of her face. He pulled her close, pressing a kiss to her cheek.

They said nothing, but communicated everything.

"Josefina." The pair looked up; James stood before them, in his uniform, looking as sharp and handsome as Jo had ever seen her father. She climbed to her feet, wrapping her arms around his neck.

"_I'm so sorry, Daddy_." She whispered, burying her face in her father's neck. He wrapped his arms tight around her, rubbing her back, tears slipping down his cheeks. "_Why_ did it have to be _Luca_?" She choked out quietly, and James pressed a kiss to her forehead.

"I don't know, Peanut. I don't know why it had to be Ricco, or why Davie had to be captured, or why Dylan had to be taken from us... He never tells us why. He just takes, and leaves us to grieve."

"It's not fair..."

"I know, Peanut. It's not. It never was." James pulled away, staring into his daughter's dark eyes.

"But... I'm right here, Grandpa." The two turned, to see Jo's oldest daughter sitting by her father. James gave her a watery smile, and knelt down at her level.

"I know, sweetheart. But I knew another Dylan, long before you were ever thought of. Come here." The child wrapped her arms tight around her grandfather's neck, and James relished in the feel of his granddaughter in his arms. "You've gotten so big. Let me look at you." He pulled away to study her. "You get more beautiful every time I see you. Just like your Mama, but with your Daddy's eyes." The child blushed, and James pressed a kiss to her forehead before turning his attention to the toddler in Zane's lap. "She's absolutely beautiful." He held out his hand, and Zane shook firmly, giving his father-in-law a small smile.

"It's... good to see you again, Dad." He whispered, and James smiled softly at him.

"You too, Zane."

"Well, is everyone ready?" They turned, to see Blythe, Hertz and Rowley waiting, also in their military dress. Jo's eyes widened in surprise.

"What are you doing here?" She cried, throwing her arms around Hertz's neck. The brunette caught her, rubbing her back.

"Luca was our friend too. And a brother to all of us when we were kids. It's only right that we also tell him goodbye." She replied, squeezing gently. Jo pulled away, wiping the tears off her cheeks.

"Thank you."

Section Sixty-One was silent, save for the crunching of the snow under foot. The stone was beautiful, smooth, glistening. It sat next to Ricco's, with his name, rank, dates, and the war he served in and the medals he was awarded. As the mourners settled in their seats, Jo stopped by Ricco's, kneeling down to gently brush the snow away. She bit her lip.

"Hey Ricco. Guess what, Luca's gonna be keepin' you company." She sniffled, brushing the tears off her cheeks. "Take care of him."

"Sergeant Lupo... or is it Sergeant Donovan, now?" A deep, familiar voice brought her from her solitude, and she stood, turning, to see Major William Shaw standing at attention. She straightened, tilting her chin up.

"Major Shaw. It's good to see you again, Sir." He nodded.

"Jojo? Everything okay?" Both turned to Zane, who stood looking from one to the other. Though he'd long gotten over and accepted the fact that Jo had once been close to others in the service, he still couldn't hide the small twinge of jealousy that tugged at him whenever Shaw was around.

"Yes, Zane, every... everything's... fine. Um... you remember Major William Shaw?" The two men shook hands.

"The Sergeant and I served together in Afghanistan." Shaw said, and Jo blushed. Zane nodded.

"I vaguely remember her telling me. Jo... she doesn't talk about... her time in the service much." Shaw nodded; they joined the others gathered, and after several minutes, the service began. Jo stood at attention, lost in her thoughts. And suddenly, it struck hard-

She was the only one left.

Out of all four of her father's children, Jo was the only one still alive. Davie, poor Davie, a POW for the last nearly five years; no one knew if he was alive, no one had heard anything. For all they knew, he too was dead, though without a body and without confirmation, there could be no headstone, no memorial in Section Sixty-One at Arlington National Cemetery. His name could not be added to the list of those who served at the memorial in her hometown in Jersey. No one could say goodbye. But it was safe to assume he, like his brothers, like their mother, was gone.

She glanced up, her eyes landing on her father.

The old warhorse had seen so much.

From the time he was eighteen until now, he'd served in several wars and small disputes, finally being awarded position of General, seven months prior. Luca, had luckily, been alive to see it. He'd been alive to dance with her at her wedding, to meet his nieces after they were born, to spend time with his family.

Her daughters sat quietly, Brooke settled on Zane's lap, Dylan curled into her father's side, both watching with wide, innocent blue eyes. The toddler fussed briefly as the salute began; Jo suspected that the child knew something was wrong, but as soon as the gunfire ended, she quieted down. Zane's soft whispering could be heard, and Jo felt herself smile, despite the situation.

This wasn't how it was supposed to happen. In her timeline, she and Zane were supposed to get married, Luca was supposed to return from war, meet a girl, have his own happy ending. Not... not end up buried next to their brother. The small part of her that resisted accepting and settling into this timeline- that small, stubborn part that _desperately_ held onto the hope that she would return to _her_ timeline- the original timeline she'd left when she was thrown back to nineteen forty-seven- screamed that this wasn't real, that it was a nightmare, and that soon, at some point, she would wake up in bed, wrapped in Zane's arms, his engagement ring on her finger. But the other part, the more rational part, the bigger, no less stubborn part, knew that those were nothing but fantasies, dreams of a time that no longer existed for her. There was no bridge device- Henry confirmed it; no way home, she was stuck.

For good.

She broke her train of thought when they removed the flag from the coffin. Silently, she fell into her place, taking the ends of her brother's flag and partaking in the folding of it, before recieving the three medals her brother had recieved- the Bronze Star, Medal of Honor, and Purple Heart. They didn't know what had happened for Luca to be awarded the Medal of Honor, and they didn't ask, they just accepted it.

Taking a deep breath, she made her way towards her father, kneeling before him. Her eyes locked on his as she laid the flag and awards in his lap, and for the first time since her mother died, she saw her father cry. As she moved to stand, James wrapped his arms around his daughter's neck, holding her close. Jo, ever the Military professional, for once, broke her mask and wrapped her arms around him. When she finally pulled away, she quickly brushed the tears from her cheeks, and returned to her position. The funeral ended not long after.

As they started to disperse, Zane turned back. Jo stood between her brothers' graves. He knew, that she was imagining two spots not yet placed:

Hers. And Davie's.

Taking a deep breath, Zane went to her, wrapping his arms tight around her body. He pressed a kiss to her hair.

"Come on, Jojo. There's nothing more we can do."


	45. Chapter 45

**R****ifiuto: Non Miriena+ **

She took a deep breath. They lay wrapped in each others' arms, her body wrapped around his, her head tucked beneath his chin. He swallowed, struggling to get his racing thoughts under control. This wasn't happening. This couldn't be real. Time travel was impossible. And yet...

Yet, she had the particles on her skin and clothes to suggest that she was from another timeline.

"What are you thinking about?"

"Sorry?" He asked. She pulled away, brushing her long dark hair over her shoulder and sitting up.

"What are you thinking about?"

"Why would I be thinking about anything?" He sat up, glancing at the clock.

Two fifteen.

She raised an eyebrow. "I know you, Zane. I can tell when you're caught up in something, when you're thinking about something constantly. You get these... little muscles spasms when you're _really thinking_ about something." She pulled her hair over her shoulder, the dark raven strands tumbling over her chest and grazing his arm as he reached up to play with the strands. "What are you thinking about?" He sighed, twisting the strands around his fingers. "Zane? You can tell me."

He glanced up at her, uncertain. He searched her face, looking for any sort of characteristic that could seperate her from the Jo he knew. But he saw nothing- she looked the same, just slightly older. Softer. Her dark eyes were the same, her smile, her skin tone, her body... all the same. After a moment, he said,

"I just... this is... insane. This whole thing is insane." He said, pushing her away and getting up. He got dressed, refusing to look at her. "The fact that you're... from... two thousand fifteen... that... that you're saying we're married..." He turned on her. "When you turned down my proposal this morning!"

"What?" She moved to the edge of the bed and knelt down, picking up his shirt and pulling it on. "I... I didn't turn down your proposal. I said yes, and we got married this fall! I never turned it down!_ I wouldn't! I love you_!"

He shook his head. "Well, you did, Jo. You never replied." Then, without looking back, Zane left the room, going for his run.


	46. Chapter 46

**R****ifiuto: Non Miriena**

**A/N: The song Clarissa sings to Jo is called I Know These Hills; it's on the Hatfields and McCoys soundtrack. I thought it was so pretty, and for some reason, I can imagine Clarissa being from the backwoods of Kentucky, and falling in love with James, yet always maintaining that connection to her country roots. **

The glass was cold against her forehead; it fogged with each breath she took. The deck stretched before her, dark and threatening, stretching into the abyss that was her childhoood backyard. With each flash of lightning, she saw the boarded steps attached to the tree, that held the other end of the zipline. She closed her eyes, taking a deep breath.

"It's raining, Mommy!" Clarissa nodded, wrapping her arms tight around her daughter. They sat at the kitchen table, watching the rain come down.

"You know, it rained a lot in Kentucky, where I grew up." Jo turned to look at her.

"But I thought you grew up in-" Her mom shook her head.

"No baby, Daddy grew up here in Jersey. I grew up in Kentucky- not far from where the Hatfields and McCoys killed each other off. I used to play in those Kentucky backwoods when I was a kid, with your aunts. When we go back to Kentucky for Thanksgiving next week, I'll take you out to the backwoods, and we'll go exploring in those hills."

"Promise?" Clarissa nodded. The two settled down and watched the rain, before Jo asked, "Mommy, will you sing it?" Clarissa pulled away to look at her child.

"Sing what, love?"

"The hills song you wrote." Jo said, and after a moment, her mother sighed, pressing a kiss to her cheek. She cuddled the child close, taking a deep breath doing as her daughter asked.

"_I know the touch of the sacred ground,_  
_where they'll lay my body down_  
_I know these hills_

_Stone in the earth_  
_Rain in the sky_  
_Blood on the blade_  
_Hear the angels cry_

_Remember my name_  
_the look in my eyes_"

As she sang, she played with her daughter's small hands, tangling their fingers together. Jo listened, calm and content in her mother's warm embrace.

The memory faded, her mother's voice fading as lightning split the sky. Her mother had recorded it on a cassette, in case she ever got up the courage to take it to a recording agent, but she'd never gotten the chance. When she died, James had packed it away with all her other things, and years later, after the towers fell and Jadie and Dylan had been killed, after she'd returned, broken and battered from war, just before she was about move to Eureka, she'd found the cassette in a box, burned it onto a CD, and taken it with her. Her mother's voice had been her lullaby until she died, and even now- well, prior to this new timeline- she'd sometimes press play on her ipod and listen to the song to help her sleep, imagining her mom was with her, holding her close.

She looked up when someone joined her. James sat down across from her, setting the medal of honor her brother had recieved on the table and pushing it towards glanced at it, confused. "That's Luca's Medal of Honor."

"I know." He replied, clearing his throat. She shrugged.

"What about it?" He sighed, folding his arms on the table.

"It's yours." She sat up then, startled.

"What?"

"I said it's yours, Josefina. It belongs to you." She glanced from the medal to James and back, before shaking her head and pushing it away.

"No. This is Luc's. Yours. I can't take this. It belongs to you. Now." James sighed, closing his eyes briefly. The return from Arlington to the house in Jersey had exhausted everyone, and James's granddaughters were sound asleep upstairs. Zane was in the living room, on the phone with his mom, catching her up on how the funeral had gone. She could see her husband pacing back and forth, hear his soft responses, noted how... calm he was.

For her sake, she knew.

She turned her dark eyes back to the man who'd fathered her, raised her, who'd been the most important person in her life- until Zane.

"I can't take this Dad." She pushed it across the table towards him, but he pushed it back.

"Luca would want you to have it." She struggled to keep calm, to keep from crying, but against her strength, tears slid down her cheeks.

"I don't want it. I want my brother back." James sighed.

"Peanut, I know it hurts, but you have to focus on the good." Her head snapped up, and she stared at him.

"Good?_ What good, Dad_? Luca's dead. _My brother is dead_. He's _never_ coming home. Just like Ricco and just like Davie and just like Mom." James reached out, taking her hand.

"I know, Jo. But you can't give up. Luca wouldn't want you too. Neither would Davie, or Ricco, or your mom." She shook her head.

"_He's my brother_-"

"Mom, I've gotta go... I... I will... I'll tell them... I promise... Love you too..." Zane ended the call, setting the phone down and going to his wife, taking a seat beside her and pulling her into his arms. " Oh Jojo..." He pressed a kiss to her hair, rocking gently back and forth with her. James held her hand loosely, watching as his son-in-law comforted his wife. He sighed.

For all his protests, all his threats and rants about Zane after they'd gotten engaged... well, he now knew that the young scientist was a good match for his stubborn, independent, fragile daughter. He balanced her out, calmed her, tended her flame religiously, in a way so similiar to James and Clarissa, that it was scary. James sighed.

"Luca would want you to live, to raise your girls, to teach them to make cookies and take them to dance lessons. Those girls are too important, they need you, Jo." She shook her head, burrowing into Zane's chest. Her father sighed. "The day she died was the day you stopped dancing." He whispered, getting up. He went to Zane, pressing a kiss to both his son-in-law's forhead and his daughter's. "I wish you hadn't, Jo." He turned his dark gaze to Zane. "Take care of my little ballerina, Zane." His son-in-law nodded, as James squeezed his shoulder and left the kitchen, heading upstairs for bed. Zane watched him go, tears in his eyes. He turned his attention back to Jo, holding her close, whispering softly in her ear, as her mother's song whistled through her head.

_"Ash into Ash_  
_Dust into Dust_  
_Father to son_  
_Steel into Rust_

_Time comes a callin_  
_and we all rise up_

_I know these hills_  
_I know these hills_

_I know the touch of the sacred ground_  
_Where they'll lay my body down_  
_I know these hills..."_


	47. Chapter 47

**R****ifiuto: Non Miriena**

The next few weeks after Luca's funeral were tense for all. Everyone at GD avoided Jo, for fear of setting her off, and she kept away from everyone. They spent their nights curled together, both lost in their thoughts. So when they'd gotten home after that first day back at work since the funeral, they settled down to a nice, quiet dinner, before tucking the girls into bed and retiring to their own room.

Their activities were anything and everything _except_ sleeping. Jo had seen to that.

They crashed among the sheets and pillows, out of breath and relaxed, satisfaction humming through their veins. Zane closed his eyes briefly; Jo snuggled into him, laying on his chest, taking deep, slow breaths as her heart rate slowed to normal. She ran her hand down his arm, reaching for his hand and lacing their fingers. They lay in silence for several minutes, with nothing but the soft hum of sexual satisfaction coursing through their bodies.

"For a while there, the way you were acting back in Jersey... I thought that I might never get to do this again. You scared me, Jojo."

"Hmm." She snuggled down, nuzzling into his chest.

"I don't just mean the sex, Jo, I mean... get to hold you. Feel your body against mine... play with your fingers..." He drifted off, lost in thought. She shut her eyes, letting the steady rhythm of his heart begin to lull her into dreams. "This was my grandmother's ring."

"Mhm..." She didn't try to respond any further than that, preferring instead to nuzzle deeper into his embrace- not at all possible in any scientific sense, but somehow, she made it work- and return to the state of unconsciousness her tired body was pulling her into.

"Do you know how she got this?"

"Uhhuh." She nuzzled deeper, fingers twitching within his hand as her now lathargic muscles began to tighten in an attempt to squeeze in sleepy signal that she was tired and wanted nothing more than for him to shut up, wrap his arms tight around her, and sleep. He chuckled softly, squeezing back briefly before rubbing his thumb over the back of her hand.

"My grandfather was a Naval Captain, stationed at Pearl Harbor, December nineteen-forty-one. Grandma was a nurse with the Navy, working the base. Grandpa was... on deck that early Sunday morning, watching the skies. Had a bad feeling about that morning. About... seven-thirty or so, he heard the sound of propellors overhead; Japanese bombers. Saw the first bomb to hit the ship. Explosion had so much force, it threw him backwards, into the water. Somehow, by some miracle, he survived. The attack lasted ninety minutes. Two thousand three hundred eighty-six dead, one thousand one hundred seventy-seven being from one ship."

He took a deep breath. She squeezed his hand, telling him silently to go on, that it was okay.

"Someone managed to get my grandfather out of the water, and the first thing he ordered was that they take him back to his ship. He stood on the side of that ship, struggling to saw his men out, telling them to hang on..." He struggled to hold back his tears, and she squeezed his hand harder. "Eventually, he gave up, letting others take over, and he turned to talking to them. Heard a familiar voice, saw a familiar hand poke through the hole. It was his twin brother. He handed him a chain with this ring on it- it had been their father's- given to him when he was a little boy; my grandfather had asked his brother to... tweak it and hold it for him until that night. His brother had a way with metal, he could make anything, turn it into a work of art. Anyway, there was supposed to be a dance on the base, and he was going to ask my grandmother to marry him. His brother had been keeping it safe, on a chain around his neck."

Zane sighed, struggling to regain control. "So he gave it back to him, told him to ask her once he reached hospital, to make..." He licked his lips, tears sliding down his cheeks. "_every second count_. To never take anything for granted. My grandfather had promised that he would... they tried, managed to maybe pull one or two out, but he... he was in the worse part of the ship. My grandfather... held his brother's hand as the others continued to try to get them out. He drowned; my grandfather held his hand as he and over one thousand of his shipmates-"

"_Arizona_. Pearl Harbor." Jo whispered, voice shaky. Zane nodded.

"When he returned to base, he searched and searched for her. He couldn't find her. Thought she'd been killed in the attack. She'd been in the bungalow, reading when the attack happened. Been in the hospital helping the injured when the Japanese attacked the base itself. Lost her sister-in-law in the attack on the civilian areas. She was sent outside to mark the injured after. Chaos. Men, burned so badly they were black, their clothes burned off from the fires and heat. Blood was everywhere."

Zane took a deep breath, he needed to talk, and she let him. Squeezed his hand tight whenever things got too overwhelming, and it seemed that the simple pressure from her hand seemed to calm him.

"They used their pantyhose for tornequets, filled coke bottles with blood for transfusions, red lipstick to mark the foreheads of the sailors and civilians that were injured. B for burned, M for morphine, C for critical, F for-"

"Fatal." She whispered, nuzzling closer. He nodded.

"Yeah." He sighed, lifting her hand to look at the ring. Gently, he twisted it back and forth, watching as the simple diamond flickered in the dark. It was such a simple ring, but it held such a history. If he looked close enough- really looked at it- he could see a slender streak of gray around the base of the stone. The small twist of cast iron steel that wrapped around the base was the last surviving reminant of the _Arizona_, the last thing his great-uncle had ever worked on. His grandmother had worn it until she died. He swallowed against the fresh wave of tears clogging his throat. He took a deep breath, feeling the familiar pressure of her hand in his. "He finally found her in the hospital, helping the doctors. Rushed to her when she had a moment free and pulled her into his arms. Kissed her, told her he loved her as he slipped the ring on her finger. Asked her to marry him then and there. She said yes."

He rubbed her back. "They were married by the Naval chaplain that night, before the sun had set and the fires had burned themselves out on the base. The attack... it made them realize how short life was, that... they needed to make every single second count, otherwise... it could be their last." He swallowed. "He was sent to the pacific not long after Pearl Harbor, fought in Guadalcanal, was awarded the purple heart and silver star. Came back. My mom was born ten years after the war ended- youngest of four children." He sighed.

"I was ten when my grandmother died. Walked home from school; I always went to her house in Concord after school. Dinner was a family affair. She always told me stories about... how _Gone with the Wind_ was the first full-length technicolor film she'd ever seen, and how she'd gotten to meet Bogart and Bacall over in England where she was stationed with the Red Cross, and why she taught me to never use sugar or flour or baking soda when I baked because they'd rationed those things during the war and they'd had to learn to live without." He closed his eyes, fresh tears sliding down his cheeks.

"I hurried up the porch steps and into the house. Something was off. She was always waiting for me in the kitchen with two cups of hot cider. _Always_. She wasn't there, so I... I went into the living room. She wasn't in the house at all. She was in the garden in the back. Laying in the grass, staring at the clouds. She'd been out gardening and had a heart attack. I got to her and called emergency, sat with her. It was then..."

He felt the familiar pressure on his hand. "that she took her ring off and... pressed it into my hand. Told me that... that I needed to hold onto it and... and only- _only_- give it to the girl who made my heart race, who... if I lost her, I wouldn't be able to live. I was to give it to the girl who threw my world into absolute chaos, the one who shared my soul. Until I found her, I was to keep it. She made me promise, and I did." He sniffled. "She... died before the ambulance got there. After she died, nothing seemed to matter. I forgot about the promise, but kept the ring. Told myself I'd never... never give to anyone. That there was no one out there for me. Until you."

She was silent, just the quiet sound of her breathing for several minutes. "What was her name?" It was soft, a breeze brushing against his skin, curious and warm all at once. He licked his lips, taking a deep breath.

"Essa. Not short for Theresa, not short for Tessa. Just Essa. She always _said_ that her birthname was Tessa, but that she'd changed it when she hit eighteen. I never learned the truth." He sighed, returning to rubbing her back. "Essa and Niall."

"I thought your cousin-"

"He is. Niall and Essa are very common names in my family, babe." He thought a moment. "Mine's not _as_ common, but-"

"What do you mean?" She asked, lifting her head to turn a sleepy gaze his way. "Your name?" He searched her tired brown gaze.

"Zane."

"What?" She asked, brow furrowing.

"Zane. My grandfather's twin brother- the one trapped in the _Arizona_- was named Zane. _Niall_ and _Essa_ and _Zane_. I was named after my great-uncle. My grandfather named me." She nodded, her sleep-addled mind slowly comprehending. "In memory of his brother. That's... partially why I wanted Dy's middle name to be Tessa."

"For your mother." He nodded.

"And my grandmother. She named my mom Tessa, going back to _her_ birth name before she changed it. It's... tradition in my family to name a girl after her grandmother. Ours... slight variant on an old tradition. Tessa is normally a first name, but... she's much more a _Dylan_ than a Tessa. So we have our little Dylan Tessa. Still keeping with tradition, just-"

"Putting our own twist on it." She whispered. He nodded.

"Just like we always do." He whispered, kissing her sweetly.


	48. Chapter 48

**R****ifiuto: Non Miriena**

The new year brought new challenges in a timeline that should have been old for her now. She'd been in it for nearly a year, she should have adjusted just fine.

No one ever said change was easy.

It had taken the last few _weeks_ for her to adjust to Luca's death- a task that never got easier, no matter how much older she got- but the coping had been balanced out with Brooke learning to walk and saying her first word- "Dada," and Zane didn't let her forget it- and Dylan's pleading to take ballet lessons. Zane had talked to Jo, and after consideration- and major goading by her husband- Jo had relented, to Dylan's delight. Though now, as she walked through Section Five towards her husband's office, she thought back on all the memories she didn't have; all the references her friends made that she didn't understand, that she hadn't experienced, witnessed. The lack of knowledge and memory on her part only screamed louder that she_ didn't_ belong in this timeline.

She stopped in front of Zane's office door. After a moment, she reached out, running her fingers along the plaque.

Zane Donovan

Section Five

Director

Her fingers gently traced the letters of his name, and uncalled for tears began to mist her vision. She turned, only to stumble to keep herself from slamming into Blythe.

"Sorry Josie. I didn't mean to-" The blonde stopped, her blue eyes skimming over Jo's slightly disheveled form. Then, they flicked to the door to Zane's office and back to her. "You okay? How's Zane? I know how close he and Luca were-" Jo took a deep breath.

"He's doing better than me, that's for sure." The two women laughed softly, before Blythe reached out, taking Jo's hand.

"If you need anything, you know you can come to me or Gwen or Lan-"

"I know, Tam. Thanks." She wrapped her friend in a hug, before the blonde pulled away with a kiss to her forehead. Then, she headed back down the hall, casting one last worried glance at Jo as she left. Jo sighed, turning back to her husband's office.

That was perhaps the biggest shock of this new timeline- not being married to Zane, not having his daughters, though those were big surprises in and of themselves- but no, the biggest shock had to have been discovering that her three best friends were here, working on her security team, under her command.

The last time she'd seen her friends- in _her_ timeline- had been New York, September eleventh, two thousand one. It had been a trip, one last vacation together before they went their seperate ways. They'd spent the day wandering through downtown Manhattan, bouncing around Little Italy and Greenwich, flirting with guys and going shopping. They were scheduled to go up to the Business District and have lunch at Windows On the World, in the North Tower of the Twin Towers. Tam's older sister Jadie was a hostess, and had managed to reserve a table by one of the windows for the girls around noon- she'd planned to take her break and have lunch with them. They'd been at a small cafe in the Business District, having breakfast and mapping their next plan of attack on the City that Never Slept.

Lost in her thoughts, she stepped up to the retina scanner.

"Welcome, Chief Donovan." The doors slid open, and Jo stepped inside, going down the few steps into the main portion of her husband's office. He wasn't here; probably making the rounds, checking up on those in his labs. She looked around, before going to his desk and taking a seat.

Photographs sat on the desk- one of Dylan, covered in flour from baking with Jo. Another, not long before Brooke was born, sitting on the sofa with Dylan, the girl's small arms wrapped tight around her mom's middle, looking up at her. A third, of her with Luca and their dad, not long after Dylan had been born. Another, of Jo and her three best friends at Dylan's second birthday. They had bows, ribbons and wrapping paper from the presents around them; Jo had a big pink bow on top of her head, and she was laughing. Another had her and the girls sitting together in the park, caught in conversation; Jo was laying with her head on Tam's stomach, as they sat in the grass, watching Dylan play. The four girls had a habit of being blocks- eventually, one of them would end up sitting with one of the other's head in her lap and so on.

It made quite a neat picture, and Zane had obviously agreed.

He hadn't said much about the girls to Jo since she'd arrived in this new time, and Jo had never asked, but obviously he cared about them as much as she did, to have photographs of them in his office. The last photograph, was of the two of them- she had her arms wrapped around his neck, her legs around his hips from behind in a surprise piggy back. Apparently she'd caught him off guard- he was laughing, as she pressed a kiss to his cheek. A moment passed, as she leaned close to study it, and then realized it was Carter's work. The man had skill with a camera she'd never known before.

Her eyes drifted back to the photo of her and her friends, and she noticed that none of them had the carefree calm and innocence they'd possessed that heartbreaking day. They'd argued about bar-hopping, seeing a Broadway show and which one to see, but that had all been interrupted when American Airlines Flight Eleven slammed into the North Tower-

After the initial shock, and the image of United Airlines Flight One Seventy-Five crashing into the South Tower, they all rushed towards the buildings, their military training kicking in. Anything they could do to help, to get survivors out-

They'd reached the chaos, been held back by police and firefighters, despite their pleas to help. Jo had seen the firemen carrying out Father Mychal's body- the priest already dead, fatality zero zero zero one, the first body taken to coroner's- and had pulled out her phone, snapping a photograph that she later sent to the families of the firemen who had carried him out. The original photograph hung in a black and gilt frame of her office, with a strand of rosary beads outlining it. Jadie- who's husband was a New York Firefighter- had talked greatly about Father Mychal. Her husband had been one of the six men to carry out the body. Sadly, he'd been unable to save his wife, and had been forced to watch as the tower fell after one hundred two minutes, with Jadie trapped inside Windows On the World, one hundred seven floors up.

When the tower had finally fallen, the girls and everyone else had taken off running to avoid the wave of dust that had once been the building chasing after them. Somehow, through the chaos and mayhem, the girls had become seperated. Jo had found herself lost in the lower half of the Business District, facing a wave of dust and ash as the cloud came towards her. But before she could think, someone had grabbed her hand, yanking her down the street. She didn't know him, didn't see his face, didn't listen to his voice, only listened to his footsteps as they raced through downtown Manhattan, searching for a place to take cover.

Eventually, he'd pulled her down a side street, throwing them both to the ground behind a car, getting on top of her to shield her from the cloud coming their way. He'd ducked his head as the cloud descended over them, holding her close. Her traitorous heart had leaped in delight and fear to be so close to him, and before she'd been able to stop herself, she'd leaned up, pressing her lips to his, in a silent thank you.

They'd spent those few minutes as the cloud swarmed over them, locked in a kiss that shook her to the core, and she'd wrapped her arms around him, holding him close, to assure herself that she was still alive. Moments passed, before the dust settled, and he pulled away. Her eyes had snapped open and she'd taken a deep breath, choking on the dust. She'd pushed herself up, peering underneath the car in front of them. Dust was everywhere; others were coming out of hiding to assess the damage. She'd fallen onto her back to catch her breath, eyes closed. Minutes passed, before he finally spoke.

"You okay?"

She'd nodded. "Yeah. You... saved me... thank you..."

He nodded. "No problem..." Then, he'd leaned close, his breath brushing against her ear. "But that's the last time."

Her eyes had snapped open at that. It was then that she'd looked up, to find herself staring into the most beautiful ice blue eyes she'd ever seen. Her breath had caught, but not from the dust. Since that day, she'd often wondered what had happened to her 'guardian angel' as she'd called him, but she'd never dwelled on it. Then, he'd turned up in her cell in Eureka, five years later when she was Carter's deputy, and her whole world had come crashing down. Those same icy eyes, that voice...

She'd written the girls and told them about him, but they'd never gotten back to her. And then, she'd been sent to forty-seven, returned to an alternate time, tried to get home, and found herself here... married, to a man with the same ice blue eyes she'd looked into that long ago day on the road behind that car in New York after the towers fell. She'd mothered his children, discovered that their little girls had the same blue gaze.

Now, she sat at his desk, becoming lost in memories of a time before she'd come to Eureka, before she'd ever heard of the town, reflecting on a man she hadn't seen for five years, only to come here, nearly seven years after the attack, and find herself married to him. She'd looked into those ice blue eyes that long ago day, and her heart had stopped; she'd fallen in love without realizing it. She'd looked into eyes that she'd dreamed about staring into for the rest of her life...

And now, in this timeline, she _got_ to stare into his beautiful eyes. Staring into those icy eyes after their mad dash downtown, their tumble behind the car, their spontaneous kiss, she'd unknowingly sealed her fate. Out of tragedy, she'd found love-

Even now, she couldn't get those eyes out of her head. His eyes. She'd stared into his eyes that day, unable to move or think. And then, she'd choked out her name.

"Jo."

He'd given her a small smile, swallowing against the dust...

"Zane."


	49. Chapter 49

**R****ifiuto: Non Miriena**

She was supposed to meet him down in Section Five before going to lunch, but Zane was still working, so she might as well relax.

She sighed, sitting back in his chair, and looked around the room. Finally, she was able to _really_ take in the room she was in. The last time she'd been in here- not long after returning from leave- she hadn't been paying too much attention. But now she could, and she drank in every detail. The office greatly reflected the man she'd married- albeit an older, more mature version, but still the man she loved. Unlike her office- decked out in muted greys, blacks and deep royal purples- Zane's was in dark reds, blacks and slightly lighter shades of grey. A sofa sat diagonal to his desk, pressed against the far wall, and above it was a photograph of the Boston skyline at night- an image that had taken his breath away on more than one occasion, Zane had told her, when he'd flown in from whereever he'd been previously.

His desk was sleek and smooth, black and grey. His laptop sat on it, along with several other things customary of being on a desk. A moment passed, before she pulled up her husband's laptop, and logged on, surprised that she knew how to get into it. She quickly checked her e-mail, and once she returned it to the desktop screen, she found herself staring at an image of herself and Zane with Dylan, not long after Brooke was born. They were in the infirmary, and Zane sat next to her, his arm tight around her, as Dylan sat on his lap; Brooke was in Jo's arms, and she herself had caught sight of the camera, but she ignored it, instead, captured his lips in hers, just as the camera snapped. After a moment, she turned from the desktop image.

A bookshelf sat across the way against the other wall; a few books, and a couple little trinkets called it home- what looked like a few of Dylan's drawings and what Jo realized were two small pairs of booties. She got up, going to the shelf, picking up the first pair. The light green pair had Dylan's name stiched into the bottom in pink thread, and the second pair- lilac- had Brookelyn's name stitched in light blue on the bottom. A small smile tugged at her lips. So he had a pair of his girls' booties on the shelf in his office, a constant reminder of the two beautiful children he'd unknowingly sworn to protect and love when he married Jo. Gently, she set the shoes back on the shelf, before turning her attention to the books.

_Animal Farm, Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption; On the Road, The Secret Life of Bees, Handle With Care_.

She ran her fingers gently over the spines; works from almost every genre, from mystery to fiction and everything in between.

_Little Women, Jane Eyre, In Cold Blood, John Adams, 11/22/63._

She chuckled at the sight of Tolkien's _Lord of the Rings _sitting side-by-side with Lewis's _Chronicles of Narnia_ and Baum's _Wizard of Oz_. She thought a moment; yep, that was _exactly_ like Zane, to have the complete sets of all three of the most beloved and worshipped fantasy authors of the early twentieth century sharing one shelf. _One Thousand White Women: The Journals of May Dodd_ sat beside _Ragtime_ and _The Wicked Chronicles_; all were worn, the spines creased or worn at the edges. It was so like Zane, to read his beloved books when he couldn't think, or couldn't _stop_ thinking- the obvious evidence of a restless, brilliant mind.

She saw a copy of Margaret Mitchell's _Gone With the Wind_, and Du Maurier's classic _Rebecca_ sitting on opposite ends of one of the shelves, with _The Glass Castle, The Virgin Suicides_, Edward Rutherford's _New York_, the _Earth's Children_ Series, and several books from the _American Girl_ series between them- the last few obviously being here to entertain Dylan when she came down to see her dad. Her gaze shifted to another shelf; a model ship of the infamous ghost ship, _Mary Celeste,_ sat on the shelf, with a model of the sunken Italian ocean liner _Andrea Doria_ next to it. On another shelf, were small models of the famous _Titanic_, the _Empress of Ireland_, _Britanic_, and the _Lusitania_. She briefly remembered Zane telling her something about how he'd spend his summers going to the nautical museums on the East Coast, and that if he hadn't become a scientist, he'd liked to have become a ship's captain.

She chuckled, thinking of her husband as the captain of a cruise liner or a battleship- surprisingly, she quite enjoyed the image that popped into her head. Zane, in a beautiful white dinner jacket of old, decorated with gold colored buttons and ribbons, commanding a ship called _The Latin Rose_ or some other interesting name. She entertained the fantasy for a few minutes, before shaking her head.

No. She could never imagine leaving Eureka, no matter what timeline she was in.

Sighing, she went back to the desk. On the small table near the sofa, something caught her eye, and she went towards it. More books, she realized with a sigh.

Jaycee Dugard's heartwrenching memoir, _A Stolen Life_, sat beside several other true crime books, including _Devil in the White City_, her _own_ copy of _Columbine_, and copies of _Small Sacrifices, The Monster of Florence, House of Evil: The Indiana Tortue Slaying_, and _I Know My Name is Steven, _which all lay scattered about the table, some with bookmarks, some without. Her copy of _Columbine_ sat with a bookmark sticking out of it. Gently, slipping her fingers inside to mark the page, she pulled the bookmark out. It was one Dylan had made in class, with lopsided hearts and the words, 'I Love My Daddy!' in crayon on it. A smile tugged on her lips, and she returned it to the book, before going back to his desk.

A well-worn and obviously much loved copy of _Interview With the Vampire_ lay on his desk. She turned to grab the chair, and her gaze landed on an open book. After a moment, she flipped to the front cover.

_Open Your Eyes: Extraordinary Experiences in Faraway Places._

It was a collection of short stories, by various authors. She flipped through the pages, before turning her attention to the pages that were open. She returned to the beginning of the story, skimming the first paragraph. _Simunye_ by Piper Dellums. Eventually, she became so lost in the story of the white South African exchange student come to stay with the African American congressman and his family, that she didn't notice the door open.

"Jo? Jo!" She sat up, dropping the book.

"Zane, _don't do that!"_

"I'm sorry, I just... I went to your office, and you weren't there. I ran into one of your security personnel- ah... Blythe, I think- who said she'd seen you last in Section Five. How long have you been down here?" Jo bit her lip.

"Um... I... don't know. I lost... track of time." She thought a moment. "Um... why were you looking for me?"

"Lunch. Remember? Figured maybe we could pick up the girls, and... go have lunch at Cafe Diem. Or... head home and have lunch there. Sound okay?" Jo nodded, returning the book to its former spot.

"Sounds good." She got up, turning the laptop off as Zane came around the desk, wrapping an arm around her waist.

"God, they're beautiful." Jo glanced back at him. He watched the image fade, with a look of fatherly pride in his eyes.

"Yeah, they are." She closed the laptop and moved around the desk, stopping at the sight of a book cover beneath her fingers.

_The Book of Mychal: The Surprising Life and Heroic Death of Father Mychal Judge._

"Jo? You coming? Something wrong?" Jo's head snapped up, and she turned back to her husband, images of the men carrying Father Mychal's body past her that fated day, flashing before her eyes. She shook her head as they faded.

"No. I... I'm coming." She grabbed the book off the desk, following her husband out of his office. The walk to the parking lot was quiet, as was the drive back to the house. Jo had of course let Henry know, but he'd waved her off, saying that Zane had told him earlier that he was going to steal Jo away for lunch and some time to catch up on things other than their work.

He took her hand, turning to her at the doors. "We have to-" He stopped. She raised an eyebrow.

"Have to what? Zane?" He thought a moment, shaking his head.

"Never mind. Not important." Then, he pulled her closer, wrapping his arms around her waist and kissing her. "Come on, let's go eat. I'm starving."


	50. Chapter 50

******Rifiuto: Non Mirena***

She couldn't breathe. She _could not breathe_.

The ring weighed heavy in her hand, and after a moment, she dropped it. It hit the floor with a_ Ping!_ that made her heart skip and her body shudder. The jewelry rested at her feet, the chain pooling around it, glinting in the light. She shook her head.

"No. This... this is a_ set up_..." She said, pointing to Zane. "This _isn't real_. It's... some sort of... of_ prank_ that Donovan's playing! He's trying to make me lose my mind! Aren't you? Haven't done enough without trying to send me to the asylum, _have you_?" Allison was at her side in an instant, helping the young woman to the sofa.

"Jo, why don't you sit down and take a deep breath, okay? _Breathe_." She did as Allison ordered, stopping every once in a while to accuse Zane of having a sick sense of humor. Gently, the doctor rubbed her back, smoothing the hair away from her face or taking her hand. She whispered softly to the younger woman, ignoring everyone and everything around her, her attention focused only on Jo. If the others didn't know any better, they'd have thought that Allison could have been a psychiatrist in another life- who knew, maybe she had been. Maybe in another reality, another universe, another timeline, Allison wasn't a medical doctor, but a psychological one.

Zane watched the two women, saw Jo's eyes flick quickly in his direction, before she nodded, meeting Allison's steady gaze. The older woman took her hand, talking softly to her, letting her squeeze whenever her heartbeat got too erratic or her speech got too fast. He glanced at the others; Fargo, Henry and Grace were talking softly, and Carter was rewatching the survelliance footage, studying it.

Taking a deep breath, Zane knelt to pick up the ring. He stopped, a small part of him screaming that if he touched it, then he'd know it was from another timeline, an alternate universe. But if he didn't, he knew she'd never pick it up again. And so he grabbed it, holding it up in the light to study the stone. The diamond was the exact same as the one his grandmoter had pressed into his hand on the day she'd died. He brought it closer, and there, in the light of the room, was the twist of cast iron steel around the base. The final, surviving piece of the _Arizona_, the last handiwork of a remarkable man who'd died in the most surprising- and deadliest- attack in American war history.

He curled his hand around the ring; he knew the story, had listened to his grandmother tell it time and again, seen the pictures and heard the stories of the young Naval lieutenant who'd desperately struggled to survive the sinking of America's most tragic battleship, as it sat docked at a harbor known the world over for the deadliest attack on American soil.

After her alternate had thrown the ring at him, he'd gone home; it was tucked safely in his deposit box in the bank, away from conniving, greedy eyes. Which made this ring so much more... confusing. If he were to go to the bank and pull his deposit box, would the ring still be in there? Or would it be gone? He hated to admit it, but right now, he had no desire to find out. Instead, he slowly climbed to his feet, making his way to the sofa. Jo looked up at him, her dark eyes going to the chain dangling from his fingers.

"That's my grandmother's chain, but not my ring." Jo said, glancing at Zane's face.

"I know. Because it's my grandmother's." He replied. A moment passed, before he knelt in front of her, and held the ring up. "Do you know how she got this?" Jo scoffed.

"Do I look like I care?" He shook his head, ignoring her scathing comment.

"My great-uncle had been working on this when he died. He and my grandfather were Navy, during the Second War. My grandmother was a nurse. All three, station at Pearl Harbor."

"Oh Zane." Allison's soft whisper filled the room. He licked his lips, continuing.

"When the harbor was bombed by Japan, my grandfather took control, in an attempt to get his men out of the bowels of the ship they were trapped in. His brother handed him this ring and told him that he'd finished working on it, and that he was to give it to my grandmother once he made it back to base. They tried, getting the other men out, but couldn't. Instead, my grandfather knelt on the side of the ship, and held their hands, talking to them as they drowned." Jo looked up; tears glistened in Zane's blue eyes, and she felt a tug at her heart. He took a deep, shaky breath. "My grandfather held his twin brother's hand, talking to him, telling him of everything he was going to do when they got back to base, as his brother drowned in the bowels of that battleship." He took another deep breath; it was the first time any of them had seen Zane choke up. "His brother was just _one_ of the _one thousand one hundred and seventy-seven_ men that died at Pearl Harbor, trapped in the hull of the _USS Arizona_." He met Jo's eyes; silence filled the room, before he leaned close, asking,

"Jo, what do I have to do to convince you that this is _real_?" She thought a moment, scoffing, a tiny smirk tugging at her lips.

"Oh I don't know, Donovan. _Kiss me_?" She joked, even as she pulled away from Allison and stood. She opened her mouth to say something else, but didn't get the chance, because Zane had also stood, grabbed her head and pulled her mouth down to his.


	51. Chapter 51

**R****ifiuto: Non Miriena**

"Mommy! Mommy!" Jo sat up, her tired gaze shifting around the room. Zane wasn't in bed beside her, and several moments passed before he came back into the room, Dylan in his arms.

"What's wrong?" Jo asked, yawning. Zane sat on the edge of the bed, shifting Dylan onto his lap. He glanced over at his wife, giving her a small smile.

"Ask Dy. She won't tell me." Sighing, Jo scooted towards her family.

"All right, what's wrong, little one?" She asked, staring into her daughter's face. The child didn't say anything. She coughed, before curling back into her father's embrace. Jo's dark eyes furrowed, and she gently felt her daughter's glands. "They don't feel swollen. You're probably just tired." The child shook her head.

Zane glanced down at his child, reaching up to brush strands of dark hair off her forehead, when he stopped. "Sweetheart, you have to go to bed. It's not good for you to be up this late. Okay?" The child nodded, watching her father with tired eyes. He stopped stroking her forehead, worry crossing over his face.

"Zane? Zane, babe, what's wrong?"

"Ah... I think..." He moved his hand down to her cheek, before going back to her forehead. "Jojo, I think she has a fever."

Jo's heart dropped into her stomach. "What?" He settled back against the pillows, Dylan cradled in his strong arms, looking up at him with dim blue eyes. He studied her for several minutes before asking, "AIDA, what... what's Dy's temperature?" It took a few minutes, but eventually, the house said,

"One hundred and six-"

"AIDA, call the infirmary, tell Allison we'll be right down!"

"Zane! What's... Zane!" He turned to her. "What's wrong?" H glanced at his daughter, before opening his mouth.

"Dy-"

"Dylan has an increased temperature of one hundred and six. At that-"

"I'm gonna go get Brooke. Stay with Dylan, Jo." He laid their daughter in her arms, pressing a kiss to her cheek before getting up and leaving the room. Jo watched him go, now fully awake, but completely confused on what was going on. AIDA noted the confusion, and tried to make it easier for her.

"Jo?" The young woman glanced ceiling-ward.

"What is it, AIDA?"

"Dr. Blake said that she would be here soon, to check on the girls." Jo nodded. It didn't lessen the confusion any, but it did make her feel better. Zane returned minutes later, Brooke in his arms.

"Sissy's sick, so-"

"Allison is coming here." Jo cut in. He looked up.

"What? No. We... we can't afford to wait, we-"

"I'm sorry Zane, but when I called Dr. Blake and told her, she said she would be right over." AIDA cut in. Zane shook his head.

"No. She needs to be in the infirmary! She-"

"Take her into the bathroom and start the shower. Put it on cold, it should help bring her fever down- or at least calm her until Dr. Blake gets here." Jo listened to her husband argue with the house- the house, for God's sake!- before getting up and going into the bathroom, Dylan in her arms. Sighing, Zane followed. Satisfied with the sound of the door shutting behind them, AIDA checked on the first aid kit she had recently restocked, and then checked to see if Allison had arrived.

Neither Zane nor Jo liked it, but it wasn't up to them. It was up to AIDA to look out for them, for her people. Jo had been hers first- _long_ before Zane had ever come along, and the house had watched with a careful, protective eye as Jo went through her share of bad relationships; first with Callister, then Taggart, then Brogan. And when Zane came riding into the scene on his bike, the house had taken even greater care of Jo, having seen the damage a broken heart could do to her. For a while, AIDA feared that Zane would just be another star on her uniform, another flyby romance to turn her heart to stone.

But when Jo came home that night, Zane's engagement ring on her finger, her arms tight around his neck, her mouth melded to his, AIDA knew that Jo no longer only belonged to her. She belonged to Zane now too, if not more so. And then fear began to trickle in- as close to feeling fearful that a house could get- that Jo would abandon her by moving in with Zane, making her life with him in his apartment. It had been nothing to worry about, though. Little by little, Jo moved Zane's things into her place, dividing the medium walk-in closet, and making room for him in the bathroom, even splitting her basement into four seperate sections- her dojo and firing range in one half, and a lab in the other. The third space had been left bare, until such time when Jo decided on what to do with it.

It had been a familiar sight, to see Jo and Zane curled up in bed together, sharing a shower, or talking softly at the kitchen counter. And after they'd officially tied the knot, AIDA began to accept that Zane's presence in Jo's life was a good thing. She was willing to share Jo with_ Zane_, but no one else.

And therein lay the problem, when Jo walked through the front door that long ago day, and AIDA internally scanned her person. The presence of Human chorionic gonadotropin hormone in the young woman's system sent off sensors in AIDA's harddrive- in any human being, it would have been a good dose of jealousy- and the house had wasted no time in getting to the point with both Jo and Zane after dinner. Hurt and offended that Jo and Zane were starting their family; that she'd have to share Jo with yet _another_ person- she didn't mind sharing Jo was Zane so much, the good soon-to-be Dr. Donovan was _actually_ AIDA's favorite person, next to Jo, or course.

But the presence of an elevated level of pregnancy hormones in Jo's system put AIDA off. She tolorated- even, she had to admit, _loved_- Zane, well, as much as a house could 'love' a person, and of course_ Jo,_ but a baby was _not_ what the house was looking forward to. Although, as Jo's pregnancy progressed, and the birth got closer, AIDA had to admit that seeing how happy Jo was _did_ make the sting of a baby coming into the house hurt less. And when Jo awoke with progressing labor pains that cool April night in two thousand twelve, AIDA had been forced to concede to the fact that not matter how much she objected, Zane and Jo were going to have a baby.

Her feelings towards the newborn had changed drastically though when they brought Dylan home, and AIDA finally got to meet the little girl that was going to be taking Jo away from her. Falling in love didn't even begin to describe it. The house was deeply, absolutely, _completely_ in love with the infant, as were her parents. And over the last four years, as she'd watched Dylan learn to walk and talk and go from a crib to a bed, and from daycare to elementary school, the house had to admit that she loved the little girl. And she loved Brookelyn just as much. The Donovan girls were AIDA's most cherished occupants, of all her beloved people- she valued the girls most of all- for the simple fact that they were innocent. Zane and Jo guarded their girls with their lives, and what _they_ couldn't do for them, AIDA could, and did.

She thought back on the two scientists that had gone after Dylan, determined to perfect and bottle childhood innocence. On more than one occasion, she'd caught them outside the house, attempting to get in, and before Zane could get down to go after them, she herself had sent them running, sometimes with good strong shocks to their systems. The sight of Jo attempting to comfort a crying Dylan one night after one such fiasco had only proven to AIDA that her people extended not only to Jo and Zane, but to their offspring as well. Any child the pair concieved and brought into the world was AIDA's to protect. It was that way with Dylan, with Brooke, and with any other little Donovans not yet thought of. AIDA belonged to the Donovan family, just as they belonged to her.

Now, she watched as Carter's jeep pulled up; she opened the door, with a crisp, "Good evening, Sheriff Carter, Dr. Blake," and allowed them to make their way upstairs.

"AIDA, where's Dylan?" Allison asked once she reached the stairs.

"Jo and Zane have her in the bathroom. I've instructed that they hold her under a cold shower, to possibly help bring her fever down." Allison nodded, making her way into the master bedroom, in time to see Zane enter, Dylan in his arms. The little girl coughed, whimpering softly.

"Thank you again, Allison, but, we could have met you at the infirmary." He said, laying the little girl on their bed and letting the doctor examine her. The older woman glanced up at him. She saw Jo in the doorway, holding Brooke in her arms; the toddler watched her with Zane's calm blue gaze. Jo pressed a kiss to the baby's forehead, and after a moment, Allison returned to examining their oldest daughter.

Zane, of course, spent his time pacing, stopping every so often to check on Brooke and Jo, or go to Dylan's side. "She has all the symptoms of pneumonia, but... I'm gonna take a sample of her blood and run a couple tests, just to be sure. In children, it's hard to tell whether a sickness is the flu or something more serious like hand-foot-mouth."

"_Where would she have gotten that_?" Jo asked from the bathroom doorway. Brooke fussed at the raised octaves of her mother's tone, and immediately, Jo bounced the baby on her hip to calm her.

"She's a child, Jo. Children pick things up. That's why I want a blood sample." After a moment, Jo nodded. Allison gave her a small smile, pulling out the needle. Instantly, Dylan tried climbing out of bed, protesting.

"No! I don't want a shot! I don't like needles! No!" Jo gave Brooke to Carter, and rushed to help calm her daughter. Dylan burrowed into Jo's chest, crying.

"I know, baby. I don't like needles either... shh... it's okay... it'll be okay..." Finally, after much struggling, Allison got her sample, and ran a quick test. She came back ten minutes later.

"Well, the good news is that it's not hand-foot-mouth. But it is pneumonia-" Jo and Zane listened to Allison's instructions, the young mother getting up and going to Carter, taking her daughter from him and gently bouncing her on her hip to calm her cries. "- in a week, she should be fine."

"Thank you, Allison." Jo whispered.

The older woman nodded, going to Jo and pressing a kiss to her cheek. Once they were gone, Jo and Zane put the girls to bed, and returned to their own room, though neither slept. Jo sat on the edge of the bed, struggling to keep from crying. Silent, Zane sat beside her, wrapping her in his arms. The last several weeks had caught up with her; and Dylan getting sick was the icing on an already rotten cake. She hadn't been prepared for her brother dieing, and certainly wasn't prepared to take care of a sick child-

"Chicken noodle."

"What?" She choked on a sob, sniffling.

- brought up long-buried memories of her_ own_ mother taking care of her when she was sick as a child.

"_She always made us chicken noodle soup when we were sick... and... hot tea with honey and lavender... and we watched movies and read stories and she... told us about her summers in Spain... and she'd tuck us into bed and sing... and after she died... Dad tried to take over... but it wasn't the same... it just wasn't the same..."_

He pressed a kiss to her hair, letting her cry.

Clarissa.

Even if she'd kept quiet, he knew what she was thinking of.

Childhood memories, of her mother, of a woman ripped from her family at too young an age, living only long enough to see her beloved daughter turn eight, before succumbing to the cancer that had ravaged her body three years prior. Clarissa had missed every milestone of her daughter's life- her first date, first kiss, graduation, engagement, marriage, the birth of first one child and then the other. She would never get to meet Zane, never meet her granddaughters, never get to watch them grow up.

He knew how jealous Jo got when Tessa was around the girls- not on purpose, no. The jealousy his wife tried_ so hard_ to hide around her mother-in-law stemmed from the very real realization that _her_ mother would _never_ get meet their girls, never get to give them gifts on their birthdays, or help them bake cookies at Christmas. She would never be at their graduations, never get to meet their boyfriends, never get to tell them stories of when Jo was growing up.

To James, and Luca and Davie and Ricco and Jo... to them, Clarissa would always be young, lithe, beautiful, like her daughter, like her granddaughters. She would always be thirty-two, destined to never age a day. Zane took a deep breath, tangling his fingers in his wife's hair.

"I wish I could have met her." He whispered. "She was probably just like you. Same heart, same soul... every last inch, absolutely beautiful. She would love the girls. I know she would." She looked up at him, tears misting her vision.

"You think?" He nodded.

"Of course. They're your children- her grandchildren. They're all you- in every way."

"And you." She replied, resting her forehead against his. "They wouldn't be here without you. We made them together." He scoffed gently.

"Yes, but you are their mother, _you_ are the one who carried them and gave birth to them-"

"But _we_ created them." She replied. "_We_ made them, they're _ours." _She said; he could see the confusion in her eyes. She said the statement, she meant the statement, but didn't know or understand how it pertained to _her_.

Moments passed before Zane pressed a kiss to her hair. "She'll be okay, Jojo. She's strong, like you. She'll be just fine.


	52. Chapter 52

**R****ifiuto: Non Miriena**

**A/N: I heard this song on the radio last week and decided to do a chapter on it, but couldn't figure out where to put it. And then, I was looking for new Jo/Zane videos on Youtube (because some of the videos are really good!) and found a video with this song. Type in _Then_ Zane/Jo in the search, and it's the first one, by TheBudongChow. **

Zane awoke around three, and after checking on Dylan, returned to bed, only to find that Jo wasn't there. He checked Dylan and Brooke's rooms, but found that she wasn't there. Eventually, he headed downstairs. As he moved down the stairs, he could hear the TV on in the living room; as he got closer, he saw that the home movie playing was of their wedding, and that Jo was curled up on the sofa, hugging a pillow to her chest. After a moment, he went to the sofa, sitting beside her.

"I see you found our wedding video." He whispered. She nodded, sipping the hot tea she'd made. They watched it in silence, before Jo curled into his side, resting her head on his chest.

"Where did we get married?" He thought a moment, never taking his eyes off the images on the screen.

"At the church in Eureka... well... outside... in the churchyard. Somehow, and... I'm still not exactly sure how... we managed to convince your dad to allow us to have an outdoor wedding- it was as far from a traditional Catholic wedding as we could get. We were married in the fall, September Eighteenth, just as the leaves were falling." She nodded, turning her attention back to the screen.

_Reverend Harper stood facing those come to witness Zane and Jo's marriage. The fall leaves fluttered to the ground, a perfect setting for the wedding between Eureka's resident troublemaker and badass deputy._

_The dress was the furthest thing from conservative Catholic as she could get- strapless, with a sweetheart bodice and a corset back. The gown hugged her body until it got to her hips, and suddenly flared down dramatically to the floor. Lace overlay covered the dress, and ribbon lined the sweetheart top and waist, each ribbon gathering to meet at the middle with the diamond accents- on the bodice top, between her breasts and right in the middle below her breasts. The ribbons then went down and branched out, diamond accents sat in the middle of each ribbon near her knee before the ribbon continued on to the end of the lace overlay. The veil she wore came just to her elbows, and she wore her hair down in loose curls._

_Zane nervously grasped her hands, before involuntarily playing with her fingers, lacing them together and then unlacing them. When Reverend Harper spoke up, he stopped; their fingers remained laced. He leaned towards her, whispering softly in her ear, and she smiled at him, meeting his eyes when he pulled away. A moment passed,_

_"Shall we?" The pair turned back to Reverend Harper, who was smiling, both blushing like children caught picking on each other on the playground. "It has been said, that if you give up your identity, then you've lost who you are. That the price is too high. But when you marry, you aren't giving up your identity, you're sharing it with the person you love most. You're no longer solo, you're a duet, coming together to create and share the beautiful symphony that is life." She looked from Jo to Zane and back, her eyes warm._

_"It is amazing what two people love chooses to unite. It follows no rules- and yet, there are several different types of love, but perhaps, the most beautiful type of love... is true. It's a funny thing, being in love. There is no sense to it; to describe what it's like to be in love, the most common turn of phrase is that it's crazy. Insane. And perhpase it is- being insane. For that is what love is like. It makes your heart race. It turns the world upside down. But if you're not careful, if you don't keep your eyes on something still, you can lose your balance. You can't see what's happening to the people around you. You can't see that you're about to fall. And if you're lucky, someone will be there to catch you."_

_She glanced at Zane; he bit his lip, obviously eager to get to the vows. "The world moves for love. It kneels before it in awe. It's a gift, love is, and to share it every day, with another person, is the greatest way to live your life. Everybody has a soulmate. You should never settle for anything less. You just gotta keep your mind and your heart open, because the heart does things for reasons that the reasons themselves do not understand." The audience chuckled, and Jo blushed, glancing at Zane._

_"A true relationship is someone who accepts your past, supports your present, loves you and encourages your future. You find that...you've fallen in love with the most... unexpected person at the most unexpected time. Jo, you and Zane are two people totally in tune with each other- that harmony, that symphony you are about enter into, is about to be witnessed by the community of Eureka, and may they share in your joy and your sorrows. May they applaud your triumphs and accept your failures, as countless communities have done before. Usually, traditional vows would be exchanged, but... this is no traditional wedding, nor are they a... traditional couple. Zane and Jo have prepared their own vows, and have been gracious enough to share those vows before us." She stepped back._

_Zane glanced at Jo, nodding to her. She blushed, taking a deep breath._

_"Zane..." She thought a moment, trying to get her thoughts in order. "I never believed in love. I stopped believe in love and happy endings after my mom died. I saw what love did to my dad, and swore, that I would never suffer that pain. And I lived that way, believed that way, for years. Until I met you. You were a jackass, a thorn in my side that would never go away. You kept pulling me in, and try as I might, I could never get out, and then I realized... I didn't want to. You are the color, that came to my world of black and white; you... see the light when there is only darkness. You are the spark of excitement that I craved for so long. You have a restless spirit, and you drive me insane, but I couldn't be happier. And... somewhere along the way, somehow, I made a decision of the heart." She took a deep breath._

_"I stood that day, holding your ring in my hand, with your heart shattered at my feet, and suddenly, I realized that I wanted to be the one to pick up the pieces and glue them back together. And then... I changed my mind. I made a choice, and I'm not lookin' back. Never. They, teach you in the military that... no matter what happens, you never leave your comrades behind... no matter how wounded or how dire the situation is. You respect one another, look to them as your partners, and always do your best to bring them home alive. You, Zane, are my partner, in every way... we've survived this town, which is more destructive that the most heinous warzone..."_

_She laughed softly, and Zane reached out, gently brushing a tear of her cheek. "I look forward to the path ahead, in fact I can't wait. Life's a journey, hell, even a warzone, plain and simple. Life is a journey, and love is so stupid, but I'm so far in it I can't get out, nor do I want to, and... and I can't wait to see where this path takes us... and what battles we face next... together. I love you. You and only you, forever."_

_She sniffled, blushing as he brushed the tears away, and let him pull her close, wrapping an arm around her waist. "Jo..." He bit his lip. One look into her dark gaze gave him the courage to continue. "I learned to rely on myself, to trust myself and no one else. I grew up with that philosophy, and never let anyone in for too long. I was fine, content almost, with barely existing. And then I was brought to this... crappy little town with... its genius people, and I longed, to keep from blending in. In a town where, everyone was brilliant, I was another face in the crowd, someone who'd fade into the background, like I'd done my entire life. And then I met you. And... you're brilliant, and beautiful, and... and you were so... far from everyone else, that I couldn't help but be intrigued. You're a puzzle, Josefina. I can't resist solving a puzzle," She chuckled softly, blushing. "and you... are perhaps the most difficult one to solve."_

_"Over the last two years, I've found a life here, and you belong in it. I trust you above all others. I love you more than the rest of this town could... ever fathom and I'm ready and willing to put any amount of weight on my shoulders if it means that I lessen the load on yours." She sniffled, resting her forehead against his. The crowd watched as their vows became soft, sweet declarations to each other. Neither Reverend Harper, nor Carter nor Allison nor anyone else moved to seperate the pair. They were watching love at its truest. "You're the light in my life. The spark. You inspire me, and have given me confidence in myself when I saw none. And now... now I realize that the past is gone, and all we have is now. And I don't want to waste a moment not loving you. Not making you smile. You have taught me to never give up hope; that love is stronger than anything. We're still the same people we were yesterday. Only better, because we have each other. I can't wait to solve the next great puzzle with you... I look forward to the challenge. I love you, Josefina. I've always loved you. And I always will. Forever."_

_She wrapped her arms tight around his neck, and he held her. The crowd cheered, and after several moments, they pulled away, sharing a gentle kiss. Reverend Harper cleared her throat, stepping back up to them._

_"Marriage... is often considered a battle, a puzzle, but it's much more than that. It's the sharing of two lives, as one. It's chemistry at its finest, for out of marriage comes the gift of new life. Children. A family to raise, children to love and nurture. Started with three simple words. 'I love you.' As Jo and Zane embark on this journey, we can only hope that they will be blessed with new life- a combination of the two of them, that personifies everything marriage stands for. Love, commitment, hope."_

_She turned to Zane, who gave her a small smile. "Zane, do you take Josefina to be your wife? To love and cherish and honor her for the rest of your days? To stay by her side, in sickness and in health, in good times and in bad, for rich or for poor, the be faithful to only her, until death do you part?"_

_Zane's eyes glistened as he slid the ring on her finger. "I do." Reverend Harper nodded._

_"Jo, do you take Zane to be your husband? To love and cherish and honor him for the rest of your days? To stay by his side, in sickness and in health, in good times and in bad, for rich or for poor, the be faithful to only him, until death do you part?"_

_Jo nodded, slipping the band on his finger. "I do." She wrapped her arms tight around his neck before pressing her forehead to his. "I love you."_

_He smiled at her, kissing her softly. "I love you."_

_Reverend Harper watched the young couple, let them have their moment, before,_

_"If there is any among these witnesses who has any just cause why this pair should not be joined in marriage and in life together, may they speak now or forever hold their peace."_

_Not a word was said._

_Everyone saw Reverend Harper breathe an audible sigh of relief. "Thank God." The crowd chuckled before falling silent once more._

_"May you share in the delights of marriage, parenthood, and friendship, for the rest of your days together. May you find the strength in one another to weather the storms and hardships that come your way, and may the love between you always be strong, true and eternal." She looked out at the crowd. "I now pronounce you husband and wife. You make kiss the bride." _

_Jo didn't wait for Reverend Harper to finish. She pressed her lips to his, drinking him in, her arms tight around his neck. He stumbled back, catching her around the waist. Eventually, they broke the kiss to cheers and applause, and she nudged her nose against his, mouthing 'I love you.' He mouthed it back, before pressing another kiss to her lips and setting her back on her feet. _

_"May I introduce Mr. and Mrs. Donovan."_

"So we... didn't have the traditional Catholic wedding, did we?" Zane glanced at her; she snuggled closer to him, offering her cup of tea. He took it, whispering,

"When have we _ever_ been traditional, Jo?" She thought about it for a moment.

"Yeah, you're right. We aren't really traditional. No matter the timeline."

They continued to watch the video; when it came to the reception- and their first dance- she turned, one question on her mind.

"Country? Why that song?"


	53. Chapter 53

**R****ifiuto: Non Miriena**

**A/N: Sorry, wedding song is in _this_ chapter. **

She waited, searching his face. He stopped the video, turning the TV off and getting up. She watched him walk to the stereo and fiddle with it for a few moments, before coming back to the sofa. She looked up, waiting for her explanation. Instead, he held out his hand. "Come on."

"What?"

"Come on, up." A moment passed, before she took his hand, and he pulled her to her feet. He pulled her into the open space between the living room and the kitchen as the intro music began to play. Once they were away from the sofa, he slipping an arm around her waist and pulled her close, tucking her head beneath his chin, their fingers lacing.

_"I remember, trying not to stare the night that I first met you_  
_You had me mezmerized_  
_And three weeks later, in the front porch light_  
_taking forty-five minutes to kiss goodnight_  
_I hadn't told you yet_  
_but I thought I loved you then_

_And now you're my whole life_  
_now you're my whole world_  
_I just can't believe the way I feel about you, girl_  
_Like a river meets the sea,_  
_stronger than it's ever been._  
_We've come so far since that day_  
_And I thought I loved you then"_

"I don't understand, Zane. Why did we dance to this-"

"Shh. Just... listen to the words, Jojo. You'll figure it out." He replied softly, as they began to sway. She pulled away when she heard the singer.

"Brad Paisley? _Seriously_? We don't... _do... country_. We do... Chili Peppers and... Paramore and..." He laid a finger on her lips.

"Jo, shut up and listen to the song." The seriousness in his eyes was enough for her to tuck her head beneath his chin. They returned to swaying gently, and she forced herself to listen.

"That's... us? It's... describing us?" She asked, not moving. He nodded.

"I couldn't stop staring at you that day. You were... beautiful, even then. But even more so now."

"How?" He chuckled softly, tightening his grip on her waist.

"You've had my children. You've given birth to our girls and... motherhood has made you even more beautiful. You carried our children, gave birth to them... those are our girls, sound asleep upstairs. Ours. They're exactly what Reverend Harper predicted- new life. Combination of us. Love, commitment-"

"Hope." She whispered. He nodded. A moment passed in silence, before she whispered,

"But... I didn't. I didn't give birth to your girls. That wasn't me, Zane. It was-" She choked on a sob, imagining the woman in the video. "_Her."_

He swallowed, taking a deep breath. "It doesn't matter. You, her... you're the same person-" She pulled away.

_"And I remember, taking you back to right where I first met you,_  
_You were so surprised_  
_There were people around, but I didn't care_  
_Got down on one knee right there once again,_  
_I thought I loved you then_

_And now you're my whole life_  
_now you're my whole world_  
_I just can't believe the way I feel about you, girl_  
_Like a river meets the sea,_  
_stronger than it's ever been._  
_We've come so far since that day_  
_And I thought I loved you then"_

"No, we're not. Zane, don't you understand? We're not the same person. We're... two entirely seperate people with... two entirely seperate sets of memories..." She pulled away, going back to the mantel. Her eyes landed on the wedding photo, and she choked out a sob. "That's not me, Zane. It's her. That's your Jo. It's not me. It never was and it never will be... because I'll never get home..."

She took a seat on the floor near the fireplace, tangling her fingers in her hair. A moment passed, before he went to a nearby bookshelf and pulled something from it. Then, he went to her, sitting beside her. He opened the album, turning to a page. "What's that?"

"Photo album."

"Wedding album?" She asked. He shook his head.

"No. It has... a few wedding photos, but, mainly just... random shots. Candid ones." He glanced at her. She refused to look at the photos. "Jo, look at these."

"Why? So you can remind me that I'm not yours?"

"No. So you can understand. Us." She swallowed, before turning to face him. He laid the album half in her lap and turned the pages, pointing out various photographs and telling her stories related to them.

"We took that in Boston in February last year. Six months before Brooke was born... that was at Carter's Christmas party the year after Dy turned two... that was one of Carter's famous candid shots at Cafe Diem..." She stopped him, seeing an image she recognized.

"Is that..." She pulled the album closer to get a better look. The image was of the two of them; they were out at Lookout Point, sitting on the hood of Jo's car. Situated between his legs, she was leaning back against his chest, his arms tight around her waist, his chin resting on her shoulder. They were grinning like idiots, staring at the camera on her phone. She was dressed in a raggedy light pink long-sleeved shirt, her raven hair straight and around her shoulders. The familiar leather jacket was around Zane's shoulders, and he was scruffy, but grinning.

"Photos, during the meteor shower? We have no light!"

"Come on, Jojo, have a little faith." She rolled her eyes.

"I have faith, just not in your photography abilities." He scoffed.

"Fine, then you take the pictures."

"How?" She asked, hands on her hips. He pulled her towards him, lifting her over his legs and positioning her between his legs. He wrapped an arm around her waist and nudged his nose against her chin.

"Now, you use this hand, and raise the phone," He instructed, lifting her hand, his fingers gently resting over hers. "Get it to where you want it, and-" He whispered against her hair. "Jo," She turned to look at him, and he kissed her, until she was giddy from his taste. "smile." He said, nodding to the phone. They turned, he rested his chin on her shoulder and pulled her close, and as the camera snapped, freezing the image forever in time, they-

"Smile. You told me to smile." She said, looking up at him. He nodded.

_"I could just see you, with a baby on the way_  
_And I could just see you, when your hair is turning gray_  
_What I can't see is how I'm ever gonna love you more_  
_But I've said that before_

_And now you're my whole life_  
_now you're my whole world_  
_I just can't believe the way I feel about you, girl_  
_We'll look back someday, at this moment that we're in_  
_And I'll look at you and say_  
_And I thought I loved you then"_

A small smile appeared on his face, and he pulled her close. Their lips met, and he drank her in, putting everything he could into his kiss, trying to get her to understand. She didn't notice him pull his phone out, or turn the camera on. When they broke the kiss, he nudged his nose against hers and whispered,

"Jo," She bit her lip, waiting.

"Yeah, Zane?" He nudged her head towards the camera as the camera snapped.

"Smile."


	54. Chapter 54

**R****ifiuto: Non Miriena+**

The crisp air filled his lungs, and he drowned himself in his music, becoming lost in his thoughts.

This didn't make sense. That Jo was... from another time... an _alternate_ time... where she'd... _accepted_ his proposal instead of hesitating, where Carter_ hadn't_ walked in on them... where she hadn't disappeared for six hours, like she had this morning...

It didn't make sense.

Nothing matched up.

And yet...

Yet, there were exotic particles on her clothing and skin. She'd tested postitive for six different types of exotic particles, Henry had confirmed it, twice. And then there was the fact that she looked different. Not, like plastic surgery or anything of the sort, but her body-

It was her body that was different.

Like she'd... gained weight, and never taken it off. The most shocking was her midsection. Normally, she was flat, taut, with well defined abs, but... last night... she was soft, and those normally sharp curves were softer. The clothing she'd been wearing was slightly bigger than what she'd normally wear, looser, almost like-

Like she'd been pregnant.

AIDA had said that there was evidence that she'd been pregnant and give birth, and Jo seemed awful adamant about those two girls.

He stopped to catch his breath. She was making his head hurt.

Dylan and Brookelyn.

Beautiful names.

He could imagine his daughters having those names, with dark hair and dark eyes, like their mother. Living at her place, raising two little girls, maybe getting a dog. Spending the rest of his life with her...

But still, this didn't make sense.

Though she was convinced that she was in the wrong timeline, that someone had taken her girls from her, Zane couldn't see how any of this would be possible.

Yes, infinite universes were possibilities, but no one had ever actually seen an alternate universe, let alone been to one. That fact that Jo was insisting she was from one, meant that she was either insane-

Or actually telling the truth.

When he got back to the house, he slipped inside, set breakfast on the counter, and went upstairs. "I was wondering when you'd get back." Jo was sitting on the edge of the bed in her bathrobe.

"Picked up breakfast." She nodded, getting up and going to him. Her arms slipped around his neck, and she stared into his eyes.

"Zane, you know I love you, right?"


	55. Chapter 55

**R****ifiuto: Non Miriena**

"You can't do this, Luc! You said you'd take me with you! You can't just leave me here!"

The younger man stopped, tossing his duffel bag in the backseat of the old mustang he and his brothers had bought and fixed up. "What am I gonna do, Josie? Take a fourteen-year-old with me on my road trip cross country?"

"Yes!"

"Like Dad would let me! He'd kill us both!" She stamped her foot, the only show of childish indignation.

"I don't care! You promised I could come! I don't want to be left behind!" Luca sighed, rolling his eyes. "I want to go to Oregon with you! I want to... camp in Death Valley and hike to Mount Rushmore like you're going to! I don't want to be stuck here in Jersey! Ricco and Davie got to go! Why can't I?"

"Because this isn't a road trip, Josie! It's a walkabout!" She stopped, snapping her mouth closed.

"A what?" He groaned softly.

"A 'journey of self-discovery.' One of Uncle Theo's old college buddies told me about it."

"Which one?" She asked, confused. He thought a moment.

"A... Taggart, I think his name was. Jim Taggart. He was a few years younger than Uncle Theo, but took a few classes with him. From Australia." Jo nodded.

"Oh."

"And no, Josie, you can't go. Not with me. You'll go on your own walkabout someday, but not on mine." Luca replied, opening the door. He turned back to his sister. One look at her crestfallen face, and he found himself changing his mind. _"Fine_, get in."

"Really?" She asked, perking up. He nodded.

"Yeah, come on." She grabbed her duffel bag and rushed down the steps, throwing her things in with her brother's, and going to the passenger door. But then she turned back, going to him. Her arms went around him in a tight hug, and she pressed a kiss to his cheek.

"Thanks, Luc." He rolled his eyes, but couldn't hide his blush as she climbed into the passenger seat.

"Yeah, whatever." He replied, climbing behind the steering wheel. But in all honesty, he had to admit, he was happy Jo was going with him.

She sat up, shaking. Zane slept peacefully at her side, his arm around her waist. Moments passed, before she slipped out of bed and headed downstairs. She pulled something from the bookcase in the living room and took a seat by the fireplace. After a moment, she opened the lid.

The Medal of Honor.

She sighed. She hadn't thought about Luca in months- it was nearly May, Dylan would turn five on the eigtheenth, and then Brooke would turn a year on May twentieth. She and Zane had a birthday party to plan, work to do, lives to live. And yet, now she was thinking of her deceased brother. Gently, her fingers traced the medal, memories of her own tour of duty coming back full force. Suddenly unable to take the pain of reliving the loss of her brother, she shoved the medal back on the bookcase and went back to bed.

"Zane? Zane, wake up." It took a few minutes, but she finally managed to rouse her husband from his sleep, and once she did, she wasted no time in taking control.

"Jo? What are you-"

"Make love to me." He pulled away.

"Why?" She knew he was still half-asleep, and a part of her chided herself for taking advantage of him. A small, tiny part.

"Please. I need you."

Her soft plea broke through the haze of sleep in his mind, and he kissed her, gently. Eventually, Zane's arms worked their way around Jo's middle, pulling her into his lap, as his lips worked on her skin, leaving mottled skin in their wake. No matter how much she complained about his markings, deep down, she loved it. She loved that he marked her, that there were reminders that she belonged to him, and vice versa. Though they saw the wedding ring, some of the scientists pursued her with the hopes of getting their hands on the Head of Security, in the delusion that they'd get the chance to get into bed with her.

Despite her cool demeanor and the obvious fact that she belonged to the Head of Section Five, some men wouldn't quit. That, because she belonged to Zane, she was a prize worth taking. They all knew the risk of stepping into Zane's territory, and the majority stayed away. But some saw Zane's ring and Jo's changed moniker as a challenge- one worth defeating. Some had a bet, as to who could get the Head of Security into bed first without Zane finding out; so far, none succeeded.

Except Zane.

But, that was a given.

When she walked the halls of GD, making her rounds, her husband's scent- one she couldn't name, but absolutely loved- wrapped around her, adding an extra layer of protection against the "sharks" as Jo called them. Not that that detered many of them.

But for some strange reason, the sight of Jo's beautiful olive complexion mottled and bruised, sent off alarm bells to stay away. Maybe it was the fact that Zane had _actually_ laid his teeth into her delicate skin, or that the sight of a bruise of that color on her neck was just a taste- an affectionate, loving taste for her- of what the Director of Section Five could do to those who dared lay a hand on his wife.

Whatever the reason, a mass of mottled skin, exposed to all of GD the next morning, sent out warning signs: _No Trespassing_.

She tilted her head back, giving him full access to her throat, digging her fingers into his hair, a moan escaping her vocal chords. He chuckled softly against her shoulder, before pulling away and pressing a kiss to her lips. Somehow, during that gentlest of gentle kisses, she ended up on her back, completely nude from the waist up. She stared into his eyes, communicating the turmoil in her as best she could without breaking down.


	56. Chapter 56

**R****ifiuto: Non Miriena**

"Want to know what I wished for, Mommy?" Jo glanced at Zane, before turning back to her daughter.

April eighteenth had come, and with it, a birthday party for a little girl that was as loved as her parents. Jo and Zane had- with AIDA's help, decked the house out in light green and pink. The entire town turned out for Dylan's birthday- which excited the child more than anything. But the surprise that had made her birthday truly memorable was when James and Tessa- Zane's mom- had surprised Dylan at the front door. The child had burst into tears, and refused to leave her grandparents' side for the rest of the party. The birthday party had been a chaotic mess- nothing unusual with kids, and certainly not Zane and Jo's- but at one point, Dylan had gone to the door, looking for something.

Jo'd had a funny feeling that she knew what- or who- her daughter was looking for.

"If you tell us, it won't come true." Zane said, reaching out and gently tapping her nose. He wrapped an arm around Jo, who sat in front of him, closest to the child, and pressed a kiss to her hair, before reaching up out and taking his child's small hand. Her small fingers reached out, twisting and playing with his wedding ring, watching it glint in the light. She stared at it for several minutes, before lacing her fingers through his. She swallowed, never taking her eyes off the ring on her father's hand.

"It won't come true anyway."

"Why do you say that, Dy?" Zane asked, gently squeezing her hand. The child shrugged.

"What did you wish for, baby?" Jo asked softly. The child swallowed; her blue eyes filled with unshed tears as she struggled to swallow the lump rising in her throat. She opened her mouth, thinking, and then,

"That Uncle Luca and Uncle Davie and-" She glanced up at Jo. "And that _you_ would come back." Her parents shared startled looks, realizing that their child was wise beyond her five years. Jo cleared her throat, turning back to her daughter.

"You never know, baby. It might come true." Jo whispered. "Get some sleep. Happy Birthday." They kissed her goodnight before going to their room. Once behind their closed bedroom door, Jo choked out, "How do we get through to her that _none_ of us will be coming home?" Zane sighed, going to her. He rested his hands on her shoulders, staring into her eyes.

"Jo, look at me. Everything will be fine." She shook her head. He pulled her into his arms, holding her close. "Yes. We'll be okay. I promise."

They lay in bed that night, wrapped in each others' arms. Jo lay curled up on his chest, her head tucked beneath his chin, as usual. He ran his fingers up her spine, tangling in her hair. She sighed and nuzzled closer, squeezing his hand in her sleep. He thought back on the last few hours: the party had wound down, friends and family had left, dinner had been eaten, the girls had been chased upstairs and tucked into their beds; Tessa and James had kissed their girls goodnight before leaving, bedtime stories had been read. Afterwards, he and Jo had curled up on the sofa and watched the flames dance in the fireplace, her small, lithe body tucked up against his chest. He'd spent that entire time thinking.

And that's what he was doing now, laying in bed with Jo wrapped around him, her soft, velvet skin against his. She nuzzled closer, and he sighed, brushing his fingers up the vertebrae of her spine as she settled down again. A moment passed, with only the sound of her gentle breathing breaking the silence. He glanced towards the monitor- Brooke slept through the night most of the time now, something Zane was both grateful for and missed. He missed getting up in the middle of the night to soothe his baby girl, his missed his late night chats with her, as he rocked her back to sleep after Jo fed her, he missed telling her silly stories about the crazy adventures he and Jo got into long before she and Dylan were ever thought of. He missed the tender moments in the middle of the night, when he rocked his little girl back to sleep, staring into her sleepy blue eyes, imagining the bright future ahead of her.

He sighed. Before he knew it, Brooke would be walking without help, talking in full sentences, going to school...

Jo nuzzled closer, pressing a kiss to his neck in her sleep, and he wrapped an arm around her, his thoughts returning to the woman in his arms. She was the love of his life, his reason for getting up each morning, but not once- _not once_- had he ever heard 'I love you' flee from her lips. At least not in _his_ direction. To the girls, yes, but never to him. Though she showed him that she loved him every day, it wasn't the same as hearing her soft voice speak it.

_Even after nearly a year, you still can't say it, can you, Jojo?_

A part of him wanted to yell at her, to scream and hurt her in any way possible, like he'd done when they were younger and had gotten into one of their many arguements. He wanted to go out with another woman, flirt and tease in front of her, make her jealous, just to see the hurt in her gorgeous brown eyes, like he'd seen so often in the two years they'd been dating. He'd hurt her just to hurt her, but always gone back to her, climbing into bed with her by his side, making love, crying out her name, holding her in the warm afterglow of their activities, always regretting seeing the pain he'd caused, clouding those beautiful dark eyes. And she'd always managed to forgive him, even when he'd admitted that he didn't deserve forgiveness.

Always with the explanation that that's what being in love meant- forgiving the other their faults, because that's what couples did when they were in love.

He swallowed the tears gathering in his throat, closing his eyes.

The words had come so _easily_ from her back then- but especially after Kim Two Point Oh. Perhaps nearly losing each other was enough for them to see how important they were to each other. Perhaps the thought of losing someone they loved, scared them beyond reason. Or perhaps it was a mixture of both. Either way, that Founders' Day, she'd accepted his proposal, and they'd had a fall wedding. After being married for a year, they'd been thrilled when Dylan graced their lives-

That little girl was the most amazing combination of Jo and himself- she was perfect, beautiful, with her father's eyes and her mother's skin- she was the perfect combination of the two of them. Zane had been unable and unwilling to hide his tears as he cradled her that long ago day, hours after she'd been born. He'd gazed into her blue eyes, and fallen even more deeply in love than he had with Jo.

And as he'd sat by Jo's side, cradling their child in his arms, he'd thought back on a conversation he and Jo had had not long after getting married. They'd gone out for coffee, settling in a booth, tucked away from the rest of Cafe Diem. She'd snuggled into his side, and after a moment of chatting, she'd asked him if he'd ever love anyone other than her. He'd thought a moment, asking her if she was telling him that he'd have to swear off falling in love again for the rest of his life.

"Of course. You're married to me. You can't fall in love with anyone else."

He'd chuckled softly, rolling his eyes at her childishness. "I can't promise that, Jojo. And I wouldn't want to." He'd pressed a kiss to her hair, and she'd pulled away to look at him, eyes wide with hurt and anger.

"There's someone else? Who? Who else could you _possibly_ fall in love with beside me?" He'd grinned at her insecurity, and reached up, cradling her face in his hand.

"Well," He'd licked his lips, thinking of the best way to put what he was about to say next. "she's... she's small. Tiny, even. With... ten little fingers and ten little toes..." He'd taken a deep breath, playing with her fingers as he spoke. "and... beautiful black hair, and tan skin." Jo had looked at him, confused for a moment before she suddenly realized who he was describing.

_"Oh!"_ She'd covered her mouth with her hands.

"And... she'll have your smile, and your dimples, and your mannerisms. And your personality traits, even as she develops her own. And she'll have your love of weaponry and sense of right and wrong and... your eye roll." He'd laughed softly, and she'd blushed. "And your beautiful laugh." He'd pressed a kiss to her lips, resting his forehead against hers. His eyes had opened, and he'd stared into those beautiful chocolate depths. "And she'll call you 'Mommy.'"

Her eyes had widened in surprise, and she'd kissed him, throwing her arms around his neck.

It had been his way of saying he wanted her children.

And a year later, that beautiful little girl he'd described that long ago day in Cafe Diem had been born. A little piece of he and Jo had come into the world, perfect as could be.

Dylan Tessa Donovan.

He sighed, remembering that day, remembering holding her in his arms after she'd been born, staring into her eyes- his eyes- and falling in love. And now, that baby girl he'd cradled in his arms in the infirmary was now four-years-old, with long, pinstraight black hair, like her mom. She was perhaps the most precious thing in the world to him- certainly one of the three jewels in his crown- but not any more precious than Brooke or Jo. Although Jo was highest in his heart by far.

She'd been the one he'd fallen in love with, the one he'd married. She was Dylan and Brooke's _mother_...

And yet, this one, in a sense, wasn't.

Yes, she was still the same Jo, but with different memories of a different life in Eureka. Of a different_ him_.

Maybe _that_ was the reason she had yet to tell him that she loved him. If she said it to him in _this_ timeline, would she betraying the him in _her_ timeline?

But she wasn't _in_ her timeline, she was in this one, with a life and a family, and a man that loved her... Couldn't she _see_ that?


	57. Chapter 57

**R****ifiuto: Non Miriena**

"You're thinking deep, complicated thoughts." His gaze moved up; Jo lay on his chest, chin on her hands, her dark, sleepy eyes watching him with concern. "What are you thinking about that's causing such small creases in your forehead? If you think about it for much longer, you'll get wrinkles. And while I don't mind a man with wrinkles- they're very distinguished- I'd rather not have my husband look that distinguished yet. Not until you've received that Nobel you're working your ass off for." She chuckled softly, happy to see that she'd gotten him to smile, before asking again, "What are you thinking about? It must be important."

He sighed, running his hands up and down her back. "It is." He watched her for several minutes.

"What's it about?" He licked his lips.

"You know that Henry... has been working on a device to help soldiers coming back from the war deal with their-"

"PTSD?" She raised her head, eyes wide. "Henry... he... he _built_ it?" Zane nodded.

"Well, he and Grace built it together." He clarified. "It's a device that helps-"

"People share memories. It's... supposed to help soldiers share memories with their therapists, as a means to advance their therapy." Jo finished. It sounded like she'd encountered it before. Zane nodded.

"Exactly, but... how do you..."

"Henry and Grace... used it to share memories after we ended up in the alternate time. It was... the main reason Henry didn't have a hallucination like the rest of us."

"Halluci-" But he stopped at the look on her face, deciding not to open that particular can of worms. It had apparently caused her grief. Instead, he said,

"Actually, I was thinking about that." She tilted her head to the side.

"Oh?" She shifted off of him, propping herself up on her elbow as she faced him. "What did you have in mind?" She reached out, tracing patterns on his chest. He sighed, unsure of how to broach the subject.

"Maybe we could... use it. The PTSD device. To share memories." She looked up at him.

"A... across timelines? Like..." She stopped, speechless. Her dark eyes widened, and she stared at him for several minutes. "You..." She shook her head, sitting up. "No."

_"No?"_ He watched her climb out of bed and start pacing, her boxers hanging low on her hips, the hem of her tank top pushed up, exposing the once-again smooth skin of her stomach. Her long, pinstraight raven hair tumbled about her shoulders, beckoning, inviting Zane to run his fingers through it. He stayed where he was, sitting up. "Jo- why not?"

"Because..." She continued pacing, but stopped momentarily to look at him. She studied him for a moment, before returning to her pacing. "You wouldn't like what you see."

"What could I possibly _not_ like?" He asked, moving to the edge of the bed.

"Look, there are things in my past, that you'd probably never be able to get over." He scoffed.

"Like what? Did you rob a bank? Commit mass murder? Win _prom queen_?" She stopped to glare at him, and he held up his hands.

"No. I... I dated a robot at one point, _long_ before you came to Eureka. Callister. And... and then there was Eric Brogan, who... who came back for a brief period, we were old Army buddies. I had a... minor crush on Stark and a slightly annoying one on Carter at one point. Zoe kissed me when she and Carter first arrived in Eureka, and then I dated- okay, I didn't _date_- I _slept_ _with_ Taggart..." She took a breath before continuing, waving her hands around as she talked, oblivious to Zane trying to interject. She only stopped when he got up and grabbed her hands.

"Jo, _babe_. I know. Okay, _I know_. I know _all_ about your past, and you know _all_ about mine. We have no secrets when it comes to our pasts. Okay?" He took her gently by the shoulders, guiding her to the bed. She nodded. They sat gently on the edge; she took deep breaths to calm her racing heart, as he gently smoothed her hair. "You okay?" She nodded, taking a deep breath. Several moments passed in silence, before she turned to him.

"What do you remember?" She licked her lips. "A... about our past. What... what do you remember? Tell me, Zane, please. I... I need to know _I'm not going insane, please-_" She grabbed his arm as he stood, and he gently removed her hand, slipping into the bathroom and coming back with a wet wash cloth. Returning to his place beside her, he gently brushed it over her forehead and cheeks, down her chest and over her shoulders, to calm her down.

"Shh... shh..." He wrapped his free arm around her waist, pulling her against him, tucking her head beneath his chin. "Calm down, Jojo. That's it. That's my good girl." He continued running the cloth over her flushed skin, pressing a kiss to her head before he started talking. "I was brought to Eureka to avoid going to jail. I was a kid, caught by Lovejoy and the police. Allison showed up, offering me a deal- come to Eureka to avoid jail, or turn it down, and head for the slammer. I chose a chance at my own life- I picked Eureka. Lovejoy offered twenty-five c's for me, which was paid, and Allison left me in Carter's care, until he thought I was 'ready to be on my own and could be trusted.' According to Carter, that would never happen." She sniffled.

"So he locks me in his cell, and leaves, leaving you in charge. You weren't so much in charge- you spent more time cleaning your guns than watching me. I told you at one point that an-"

"'Obsession with firearms can be a sign of unfulfilled sexual appetite.' And that you were at my service." He chuckled softly, never stopping the movement of the cloth over her flesh.

"Exactly. And you pulled your gun on me, and the only reason you didn't shoot me was because Carter intervened. So you suggested the bracelets. I messed with those- tricking Carter into putting the one with the button on my wrist, and the one without on his. And when it came to lunch, I managed to gross Carter out to the point that he locked me in the cell overnight. And I... may have tricked him into giving me the remote under the pretense that I'd be watching a baseball game." He could hear the tone of her voice, even though she kept quiet. "Okay, I tricked him. And once he was gone, I managed to hack into his computer using the remote." She nodded, remembering. "I bought you fourteen boxes of lingerie, and you kept them- the biggest surprise to me..."

He continued talking, telling her memories of his first few months in Eureka- how he screwed up their first date, but made up for it on their second; how much it hurt to see her kiss Carter in the cafe after the explosion when Carter's hormones beckoned every woman within the town radius to come to him; the thrill of actually getting her to slip into one of the closets in SARAH during Zoe's party and make out- only to be caught by Carter. He talked about how Eva Throne, "The Fixer", convinced him to help her open the old bomb tunnels below Eureka, and how Zoe and her friends ended up trapped down there, only to have Carter save the day. He told her about how she'd begged him to come back alive when the two suns had threatened to destroy Eureka, and how he'd wanted to kill Carter after the idiot fused their feet together. She listened silently, nuzzling against his chest, her breathing even, though he never stopped his movements, even after the cloth began to dry.

He talked about how it had taken a kiss for him to realize that Julia Golden had switched bodies with her, and how scared he'd been the day he'd been electrocuted by the computer virus. He didn't bother hiding the fact that he was afraid he'd died without telling her that he loved her, and that getting to kiss her had been the best feeling in the world afterwards.

"I hated being away from you. It was only a month, but... it was the longest month of my life. And when I got back... I had no idea... if I'd known about the ice growing inside me... I never meant to hurt you. I think... I think it was then that I... that I realized that I was in love with you. I _knew_ I was in love with you, but... I'd never admitted it, I didn't want to. But laying in that bed in the infirmary, thinking of how close I'd come to... and seeing you, right by my side... apologizing for suspecting me, when I... I would have done the same, were I in your shoes... and then the worry in your eyes when you told me I needed to stay there... I was terrified. _Absolutely terrified_ of leaving you for good. Not that... you'd move on if I were gone, but... but that I'd never get this. I'd never get to marry you, start a family with you... love you..." He pressed a kiss to her forehead, brushing her hair away as he spoke, resting his chin against her forehead as he continued to speak.

"And then Founders Day rolled around. I knew what I wanted to do- recreate the day we met, and ask you to share your life with me, create a family, get into trouble with me for the rest of my days, keep me in line and... let me make love to you for the rest of my life..." He sighed. "I wanted forever with you and... we got it." He kissed her forehead again. "I gave you the box- tucked inside a box from Lesa's Lingerie- and you made some crack about trying it on...

"'Something like that.'" She whispered. He nodded.

"And when you turned around, I was kneeling before you, laying my heart out on the floor, telling you that you'd made an honest man out of me, and that we should make it official."

She sniffled, tears sliding down her cheeks.

"And then you'd snapped the box closed, handed it back to me, and I thought for sure, you'd walk away. But you didn't. Instead, you knelt next to me and... looked into my eyes. You were searching for something, and you found it. And then you kissed me. Deep and long and in only that way you have. You asked me when the wedding was, and I slipped the ring on your finger, saying that it was whenever you wanted. And you corrected me, simply by saying that you weren't a Lupo anymore. Of course Carter found out and went screaming down Main Street." He chuckled at the memory. "We got our happy ending."

Jo shook her head, pulling away. She sniffled; Zane gently wiped the tears off her cheeks. "That's not true. We didn't get our happy ending. Not me. Not in my timeline."


	58. Chapter 58

******Rifiuto: Non Mirena***

Minutes passed, minutes that felt like hours that felt like days.

He searched and explored her mouth in that way he had; one hand going around her waist, the other holding her head in place as he deepened the kiss. She reached up, wrapping an arm tight around his neck, fingers playing with the hair at the nape, twirling and twisting it around her slender fingers, scraping her blunt nails gently against his scalp, tightening her grip and gently tugging as the kiss deepened. She gave as good as she got, her own tongue searching his mouth just as deeply, just as thoroughly, as she grasped at his shirt, feeling the smooth buttons of his shirt beneath her fingers. He pulled her until her soft, pliable body melded to his, her hips sliding and locking with his, like they were meant to be. _Because we are, Jojo._

Eventually, she pulled away, staring into his blue eyes. He took a deep breath, resting his forehead against hers. A risky move, but considering how she clung to his neck, he was willing to risk it. "Believe me now?" She bit her lip, her gaze going to the stone held tight within his grasp. Slowly, she reached down, picking it up, examining the stone. Then, she turned to Zane, casting a glance before going to her desk and perching on the edge. Silence reigned, everyone waiting with bated breath as she examined the ring in her hand. She moved around the desk, pulling up the video. Zooming in on the ring in Zane's hand, she studied the two.

"They... they look _exactly_ the same-"

"They are. Except _mine_ is _in_ my safety deposit box at the bank. That one..." He swallowed, his eyes going to the ring on the chain. "Is the one that she- you- threw at me. The one that... caused her to return... to _try_ to return to her time. If she hadn't tried to go back, you wouldn't have returned and..." He stopped,becoming lost in the image of Jo on the screen, sitting at her desk, head in her hands. The image broke his heart; if he'd known he was going to cause that much pain-

_"And?"_ She asked, raising her eyebrows. Zane sighed. Jo waited, searching his face.

_And I could tell her that I love her. _"Nothing, never mind." He replied, moving past her and going to the door. She watched him, before turning back to the video. The confusion on his face was evident, as he stared at the ring she'd thrown- the ring she now clutched in her own hand.

"Dono- Zane!" She cleared her throat; he didn't turn around, and groaning softly, she rushed after him, "Zane!" Eventually, he turned back to her. She stared at him for several minutes, before making her way towards him, struggling to think of something to say. She had his full attention-_ Say something, idiot._

She opened her mouth, a squeak escaping her throat, and she quickly shut her mouth, holding the ring out. He glanced at it before locking eyes with her. Slowly, he made his way towards her, taking the ring from her grasp. He stared at it for several minutes, taking a deep breath. "I... I have one question." She waited, licking her lips. He tore his gaze from the ring in his hand to her face. She watched, holding her breath, her gaze flicking to her grandmother's gold chain, that still held the ring looped through it. "How... how exactly did you end up with my grandmother's ring? Albeit a... a different version-" He choked out. "But still, my grandmother's ring."

She shrugged. "I... I have no idea." He nodded, accepting her confused answer, and reached up to play with the clasp. A moment pased in silence, as he briefly struggled to work the clasp apart, and once it finally parted, he pulled the chain from the ring, holding the gold links out to Jo. She hesitated a moment, before holding out her hand. He dropped the heirloom into her hand, watching silently as it pooled into her palm, before glancing down at his grandmother's ring.

This one little ring hand caused a whole heap of trouble- trouble that _still_ wasn't entirely taken care of, and he doubted if it ever would be.

He sighed, turning his attention back to the Head of Security, searching her face. She licked her lips, nervously working the skin off her lower lip with her teeth as she waited for him to say whatever was on his mind. He nodded, deciding to not cause a fight in the hallway of GD. If anything, he wanted to go back to his lab- or better yet, his apartment- and take a nap, forgetting everything that had gone wrong in the last several months; starting with the other Jo's flight from this timeline back to her own. He didn't want to think about her and the look on her face as Henry had started the bridge device, didn't want to ponder how this Jo ended up with a ring identical to the one her alternate had thrown at him hanging from her grandmother's chain around her neck, didn't want to think about Jo- from any or either timeline.

So he wrapped his fingers around the ring in his hand, and then glanced up at her dark eyes. A moment passed, before he took a step towards her. She watched him, took a deep breath, as he leaned over and shuddered in surpressed delight as he pressed a kiss to her cheek. Her eyes closed briefly, and she struggled to take a breath, to force air into her lungs, as his scent wrapped around her and his lips brushed gently against her skin. When he pulled away, she turned her head to look into his eyes; if she closed the gap-

He pulled away, ducking his head and she watched, silent, as he left GD.


	59. Chapter 59

**R****ifiuto: Non Miriena**

"So... everything matches... up until Founders' Day." Henry said, looking from Jo to Zane. "That's where your paths diverge. Right?"

Jo nodded. "Yeah. In... in _Zane's_ timeline- this one- I accepted his proposal. In mine... I hesitated, he walked out. And then... we five got thrown back to nineteen-forty-seven." She took a shaky breath. "And ended up returning to a different timeline, where Zane and I had never dated." She bit her lip, glancing at the man in question. He sighed, puffing his cheeks out slightly, and looked at her, taking her hand. He gave her a small half-smile, before turning his blue gaze back to Henry.

"So, what's your verdict, Henry? Can we use the device to share memories across timelines?" Zane leaned foreward on his knees, rubbing his palms together nervously. He stared at the floor for several minutes, becoming lost in thought, before looking up at the older man.

The director stopped his pacing, glancing back at his wife. Grace perched on the edge of his desk, watching the younger pair. Allison and Carter sat in the twochairs in front of Henry's desk, both holding their breath. Fargo sighed, turning from the window to watch his friends. After a moment, Henry glanced back at Dylan, who sat on the floor, rolling a ball back and forth with Brooke. The nearly year-old little girl squealed in delight whenever she got the ball. And already, she had thick black hair like her parents... Henry sighed, remembering the night she'd been born. How Zane had called and told him that neither he nor Jo would be in to work, but that they would be in the infirmary if he wanted to stop by and visit. He and Grace had rushed down; they'd gotten there in time to witness Jo give that last push... and then had watched as Allison cleaned a wailing newborn and laid her in Jo's arms.

It was amazing, what could happen in a year.

"What do you think, Grace?" He asked, turning back to his wife. She shrugged.

"I think-"

"Daddy, is Mommy going to come home?" The others all turned, as Dylan went to Zane, taking his hands. Zane glanced at Jo, who lowered her head.

"Mommy is home, Dy." He said, turning his attention back to his child. The little girl narrowed her eyes- so reminicent of the woman at his side, that he started briefly.

"But she's not from here. And you said you'd never talk about her leaving ever again. You _promised_." He sighed, pulling her onto his lap.

"I know. I know I promised, and I'm not going to break it. Mommy's going to stay right here. Uncle Henry and Auntie Grace are just... going to help Mommy remember. They're going to help her remember everything she doesn't, everything she missed before coming to this timeline."

"They are?" Zane nodded, chuckling at the surprise in her voice.

"Yes. They are." He turned to look at Henry. "Right, Uncle Henry?" Moments passed in silence, as Henry felt the weight of both sets of blue eyes bore into him. Eventually, with a glance at Grace, he nodded.

"Yes. Auntie Grace and I will... help Mommy remember everything."

"Promise?" Dy asked, getting off Zane's lap and going to him.

"I promise."

"Pinky?" The five-year-old held out her pinky finger, waiting. Henry glanced around for a moment, before pinky-swearing.

"I pinky swear. I double pinky swear." Henry said, wrapping his arms around the child and tickling her. She laughed, enjoying the attention.

"Thank you, Uncle Henry." He stared into the child's blue eyes.

"You're very welcome, Dylan." Then, he pressed a kiss to the girl's forehead before letting her go. Allison said something about taking the girls down to the cafeteria, and once they were gone, Zane got up and started to pace to release the nervous energy building in his joints.

"So-"

"When do we start? How?" Jo asked, cutting her husband off. The others all turned to her. She'd curled up on the sofa, tucking her arm underneath her head, fear and worry in her dark eyes.

"Don't you and Zane want to talk it over or-" Henry started.

"No. No. I... I want to do this... before I lose my nerve." Jo replied, climbing to her feet. "Henry, _please_." The pain and hurt in her dark eyes tore at his heart, and after a moment, he nodded.

"Okay. Why don't you and Zane meet us down at the infirmary in half an hour. We'll start then, okay?" Jo nodded. Henry went to her, wrapping the young woman in a hug. "It'll be okay, Jo. I promise." She hugged him tight.

"Thank you, Henry." He pressed a kiss to her hair, before pulling away. As she followed Zane out of the office- to go meet Allison down in the cafeteria with the girls- she cast one last glance at Henry and Grace, giving them both a grateful smile. Henry sighed. The younger woman was so like a daughter to him, that-

"Are you sure you're doing the right thing, Henry? Letting Zane and Jo go through with this?" Carter asked, getting up.

"They want to do this, Jack. They _want_ to know what the other is missing. They _want_-"

"To be in sync with each other. Like they were _before_ the time change or-" Grace finished.

"Like Jo and her Zane were back in her timeline." Henry added. "They just want to be on the same page."

"But... isn't this... PTSD device thingy... a little risky..." Carter asked, rocking back on his heels. The older couple shared a look he couldn't read. It suddenly made him nervous, and he began to worry about the couple he regarded as his children.

It was no secret that from the moment _Zane_ took an interest in Jo, _Carter_ had taken an interest in him; rifling through his profile and making frequent calls to his mother in Boston- something that became a regular occurance, then and now- to learn more about the young man who'd taken such an interest and like in Carter's precious deputy. Over time, Carter had looked on as Jo and Zane became a couple- he'd listened to Jo rant about their ridiculous fights, calmed Zane down when he went off about Jo's attitude, but never took sides and never got between them. When Zane proposed to Jo and she accepted, Carter finally acknowledged that Zane was a good match for her.

He was really, the _only_ one that could handle her.

Although Carter had wanted to kill Zane when Jo announced she was pregnant at dinner that long ago night, Jo had intervened, telling him to back off, and that she wasn't his little girl, no matter how hurt Jack was by the statement. But by the time Dylan was born, Jo had forgiven him for his fatherly behavior, and the young couple often turned to him- and Allison- for advice. He'd been more accepting after Jo got pregnant with Brooke; part of it was because they'd been mere kids when Dylan was born, but the baby and parenthood, marriage and life had balanced them out, and they'd grown into well-rounded, responsible, if not adrenaline junkie'd adults. If danger or trouble was afoot, Jo and Zane usually rushed right into it, headlong. Just as long as they both came out alive, Carter didn't care. What he cared about, was that his kids returned in one piece and breathing.

But what if...

What if these... memories, these... alternate histories, if you will... messed with their heads? What if they altered their thinking, or changed the way they thought about each other? What if it cost them both their sanity, or shoved them towards divorce? What if these... buried, alternate histories destroyed them? _Both_ of them?

"It's still in the infant stages," Grace began. "But the data we've collected is... very useful. It's... it shows that they... that the device_ works_, and that it helps. It helps to have... someone else share in those memories; someone that wasn't there and doesn't know what the other person went through."

"But we're talking about _war veterans_, Grace, not _Jo and Zane_!" Carter replied.

"Jo _is_ a war veteran, Carter."

"_Yes!_ And from what we know, she's _never talked about it, never been in therapy, never gotten over it or accepted that it happened to her!_ So what if she tries this... PSA... device... and... and it sends her back to Afghanistan, mentally, and we can't get her back? What then? _We lose her for good_!"

Henry sighed. "Jack, Jo and Zane want to do this, and so we're going to do this. And that... is a risk they are just going to have to face."


	60. Chapter 60

**R****ifiuto: Non Miriena**

They sat waiting for Grace and Henry to install the devices. She took a deep breath, closing her eyes and swallowing against the lump in her throat. When she looked up again, Zane held his hand out to her. She took it after a moment's hesitation. He brought her hand to his lips and brushed a kiss against her knuckles before squeezing. "We'll be okay. Trust me." She nodded.

"I... I do." He leaned over, pressing a gentle kiss to her lips before pulling away.

"Okay, ready to do this?" Grace asked, setting a small tray on the table in front of them. Zane nodded, glancing at Jo, who gave him a strained smile in return. They dropped hands, and Grace picked up the first small, circular disk, going to Zane. "These, are the nodes for the PTSD device- the bio cortex recorder; they house the program that will allow you to share memories across timelines." Grace explained, finishing with Zane and going to Jo. "You can wear these as long as you need to; they're waterproof, so showering and other things like that won't be a problem. Sometimes, depending on how much you want the other person to see, the device could take up to a year or two or more to fully share the memories. If it takes that long, let it happen." Grace finished, turning Jo's on.

"So... will everyone be able to... to see..." Jo trailed off, biting her lip. Henry shook his head.

"No. Only you two will be able to share memories. Only you two will be able to see and hear the other's memory. No one else."

"Wear them as long as you need, until _you_ think you're ready to go without. Until you... _feel_ that you're back on the same page. _Together_." Jo gave Grace a small smile.

"Thank you, Grace. We owe you and Henry _so much_-"

"We do it because we love you, and we love those girls, and you're a part of our family." Grace cut in. Jo nodded. Zane helped her up, wrapping an arm around her waist.

"Go home and get some rest. The device won't work instantly. It'll take time to download your memories and then send them to the other person. So I suggest you go get dinner, go spend some time with your girls and relax. We'll see you all on Monday." Jo nodded, following Zane.

The pair returned home after a late dinner at Cafe Diem. They tucked the girls into bed, kissed them both goodnight, and then slipped beneath the covers of their own bed. She sighed, settling down, taking a deep breath, waiting for Zane to spoon protectively around her like he always did. Only his warm embrace never happened. "Zane?" She looked over her shoulder. His back was too her. "You okay?"

He sighed. "Just thinking." She nodded.

"Oh." Her teeth slid out to worry her lip. "About what?"

"This." He gestured to the silver disc behind his ear and hers. She nodded again.

"Oh. Did you... not want to do this? Did I force you into it? I'm sorry if I did. I didn't mean to." He didn't respond for several minutes, and she laid back down, facing the wall. Moments passed in silence, before he turned. He sidled next to her, wrapping an arm around her waist and looking at her.

"You _didn't force_ me to do anything. I _wanted_ to do this. I just..."

"Just what?" She turned, looking up at him, suddenly very aware that their lips were inches apart. He stared into her eyes, before leaning down and kissing her. When he slowly pulled away, he whispered,

"I'm just... afraid you'll think... that you've made a mistake, regaining these memories. What if... what if they only serve to make you want to go back to your time even more? Call me selfish, Jo, but... I can't lose you. The girls... can't lose you." She searched his blue eyes for several minutes.

"Zane... you're not selfish. You're thinking of your daughters. That's not selfish at all, that's being _a father_. That's looking out for the welfare of your children. And... I... I know I want to go home. I want it _so much_, and it hasn't diminished in the last year, but... but if I have to be stuck here... in this timeline... and if I have a chance... to regain... the memories that I _don't_ have... I'm willing to try." She reached down, lacing their fingers. "For _us_. For our _girls_."

He pulled her into his arms, holding her close, burying his face in her hair. "Thank you." She nodded against his chest, looking up at him. He kissed her gently, before letting her return to her side. She sniffled, wiping her tears away, as she felt Zane's body wrap protectively around her, his arms going around her waist, pulling her close. He buried his face in her hair, breathing his name as he drifted off to sleep. She glanced over her shoulder at him, pressed a kiss to his forehead, and settled down, letting sleep take over.

His arms went around her waist, lifting her off the ground. He threw her over his shoulder, carrying her back into the tent. The cold air nipped at her skin as he undressed her; goosebumps rose on her smooth flesh, and were kissed away by Zane's hot mouth. She arched her back, tangling her fingers in his hair as he moved his kisses over her skin, brushing over the swells of her breasts and down the smooth slope of her stomach. She shivered when he pulled away, zipping the tent closed. But he instantly came back to her.

"God, you're gorgeous." She laughed softly at the awe in his blue eyes, and after a moment, she reached up, tracing his jawline. His hands moved down her body, igniting fires along every nerve. Fingers hooked into the thin, flimsy material of her panties, and he gently slid them down her thighs, tossing them away. Then, he moved his lips over her stomach, around her hips, gently pressing kisses to her inner thighs. She arched her back, digging her fingers into his hair. She hated to admit it, but she loved when he did this to her, even more than when he told her he loved her. Words were nice, sure, but actions-

Actions screamed louder than the sweetest word.

"You shouldn't be allowed to do this. It should be... absolutely illegal. And I should... be locked up for enjoying it so much... oh God, keep going, babe."

He smirked softly, bringing his mouth back up to meet hers. "Don't tell me you're enjoying it, Jojo. You always complain when I do this." She stared at him with wide, brown eyes, pupils so dialated, if he didn't know any better, he'd think she were drunk. She giggled, a rare, lovely sound.

"Mm... not complaining..." She pushed herself up on her elbows, reaching behind her to unhook her bra, a giddy smile on her face. "I love your mouth, you know that?" He chuckled.

"And I love yours." He replied, capturing said mouth in a deep, searching kiss. Then, he removed her bra, moving his lips gently to her breasts. Over the course of the next two hours, they teased and played, bringing each other to the ultimate breaking point, until they collapsed in each others' arms, satisfaction humming in their blood, and the result of their activities settling comfortably in her womb...

She awoke with a start, her breath catching in her throat as she sat up. Zane was sound asleep at her side, undistrubed by her recent nightmare. A moment passed, as she got her breathing under control, as her heart returned to normal, and she pulled away, fully sitting up. She glanced down; Zane slept peacefully, nothing worried him. She sighed, reaching down and tangling her fingers in his hair. He murmured her name in his sleep, and her heart jumped. After a moment, she got up, slipping out of the room and going down the hall. Taking a deep breath, she went into Dylan's room, shutting the door softly behind her and going to the bed. The child slept soundly, and Jo knelt down, reaching up to brush the dark curls away. She stared into her daughter's sleeping face, seeing the same, familiar calm that her husband wore. After a moment, she whispered,

"I remember, Dy. I remember the night you were concieved. Mommy's coming back to you. I promise." She pressed a kiss to the girl's hair before slipping out of the room and returning to the master. There, she found Zane sitting up in bed, awake, hands buried in his hair.

"Memories wake you up too?" He asked, as she returned to bed. She shrugged, thinking.

"Just one so far. Grace said it would take a while to download the memories... clearly she doesn't know her own device." She replied, climbing into his lap. Her arms went around his neck. "The night we conceived Dylan. At Lookout Point. During the rainstorm." She whispered, her warm breath gently caressing the shell of his ear. He smiled softly, pulling away to look at her.

"Neither one of us had any idea that that one night would change our lives so drastically." He told her, gently pressing a hand to her stomach, memories of that night flooding back to him. She smiled. "She was... certainly the turning point for us."

"So... what woke you up?" He sighed, staring into her eyes.

"That day after Taggart and I returned from the Arctic." Her brow furrowed.

"But... I thought you..."

"I remembered _coming back_ to Eureka, and I remembered saying that you were bad luck when it came to guys and the infirmary. But... those few hours in between- I remember nothing. _Absolutely_ nothing."

"The ice core." She whispered, climbing off his lap and sliding back under the covers. He nodded, following.

"Yeah. I... saw how my behavior affected you, how... hurt and concerned and... upset you were and... I'm sorry. I never should have-" She listened. For a moment, he was her Zane again. She reached up, cradling his cheek.

"No, it wasn't your fault. It was the ice core, and the fungus." He nodded, nudging his nose against hers.

"I know. But that doesn't mean I'm any less sorry about my behavior." She chuckled softly.

"I know a way you can make it up to me-"

They teased each other for several minutes, brushing their lips together and then pulling away, nudging noses and nipping gently at each other's mouths. It was the kind of play well-practiced lovers engaged in. He tangled his fingers in her cascading raven hair, pulling her closer as he deepened the kiss. Teeth tugged gently at lips, tongues explored, their hands followed familiar trails, over hips and along spines. She rolled onto her back, pulling him with her until their bodies slid together and the comfort of his weight pressed her into the mattress. She wrapped her arms around his neck, digging her nails into his skin, and automatically- as though her body were on autopilot, which most likely it was- she pulled her knees up, a sign that she wanted more, even as she hugged his thighs. He pulled away, searching her face, pressing a kiss to her nose before shaking his head.

"No. Not that. Not tonight. Not with everything that's gone on in the last twenty-four hours; we both need our rest."

"But, Zane-" The hurt in her dark eyes reminded him of Dylan when she didn't get her way, and he chuckled softly, patting her knee.

"As soon as we get this all straightened out, then, I will make love to you, all evening, every day, until you tell me to stop."

"I'll never tell you to stop." She replied, pushing herself up onto her elbows and smirking softly at him.

Her back hit the bed, and she giggled as he undressed her. The feel of his hands on her skin sent electricity through her veins, and she arched her back. A moment passed, and she heard the sound of her handcuffs click closed, to find herself cuffed to the headboard. "Zane! I thought we agreed it was going to be you this time!"

He chuckled. "Did we? I don't remember that." Their lips met in a kiss that curled her toes. Bodies slid together, clothing fell in heaps, hands slid over hips and between thighs, a moan of pleasure escaped her throat, and she arched her back, pulling her legs up. "If you'd rather I stop, tell me so." He whispered as he kissed her naval. She bit her lip to keep from begging him to take her already. He leaned over her, trailing kisses along her jawline before moving to her lips. He hovered over her mouth, searching her eyes.

"I'll never tell you to stop." She whispered, crashing her lips to his.

She pushed him away, sitting up. Her entire body shook from the strength of the memory, and she moved to the edge of the bed. "You okay? Hey... _hey_..." He went to her, sitting beside her and rubbing her shoulders. "What's wrong, Jojo? Tell me, what did you see?" She took several deep breaths before turning to him.

"Us. Making love. Here. And I... I said that... that exact thing-"

"What?" He asked, brushing her hair over her shoulder.

"'I'll never... tell you to stop.'" She whispered. She thought a moment, licking her lips. "And we... do an awful lot with handcuffs, don't we? Is that... just because they're there, or is there an... underlying fetish involved?" She narrowed her eyes.

He rolled his eyes, laughing softly. "A bit of both, Jojo. A bit of both." He pressed a kiss to her shoulder, his arms going around her waist and pulling her back to him.


	61. Chapter 61

**R****ifiuto: Non Miriena**

Brooke's birthday came on May twentieth, no less chaotic than Dylan's and lacking not a family or friend. In June, Claudia Donovan of Warehouse Thirteen came to visit, and began a relationship with Fargo- which made the little scientist happy to no longer be the only single of their small group of friends. Not that Carter and Allison would ever admit that they were together.

Carter looked up, to see Jo and Zane enter. The girls weren't with them, and Carter assumed they were home, sound asleep. Both Jo and Zane were in sweats, headphones around their necks, obviously picking up breakfast during their morning run before heading home. He nudged Allison, and the older woman stopped her conversation with Grace to watch. The younger couple were talking to Vincent- both obviously taking a few precious moments to relax before continuing on their run. Zane said something and Jo laughed, catching on quickly to whatever he'd said.

"Seems like they're getting along just fine." Grace said, a small smile tugging on her lips. The four returned to their conversation, leaving the couple to their own devices.

"Well, well, well. I never expected to see Carter up at _six_." The two older couples turned, to see Jo and Zane at their table. Jo was sipping her coffee, ponytail pulled over her shoulder- Carter could see the silver node beneath her ear. Zane smirked. "What did you do to warrant getting up so early? Allison kick you to the sofa again?" He asked.

_"Zane!"_ Jo smacked him lightly, a glare on her pretty features. He rolled his eyes. Allison chuckled softly.

"Unlike you two- who have a death wish- I prefer to spend my six in the mornings in bed, but Allison wanted to go for a run, and wanted me to come, when I _normally_ go around eight. We just finished ours." Carter replied. Zane glanced at Jo, who raised an eyebrow.

"We're still on ours. And... we have to get back before the girls wake up and their breakfast gets cold." Zane said, holding up the to go carton. The two turned for the door, but Carter called out to them.

"Hey!" The pair turned, waiting. "How's the-" He gestured to his ear. "thing going? Good so far?" The pair shared a glance, before returning to the table.

"It's going good. A little confusing at times, a lot stressful, but nothing we-"

"Can't handle." Jo finished, taking Zane's hand. He smiled softly at her, before leaning over and pressing his lips to hers in a soft kiss. Grace watched with a small smile on her face.

"Good. So... you're both... seeing each other's memories... how's that working out for you?" Jo sighed.

"Okay. I... I saw the night we concieved Dylan at Lookout Point." She nodded, lost in thought. "That was... wow." Carter chuckled.

"Wow is the only thing you can come up with? That's it?"

"The device is still working, Carter. It's not that fast. It has to sort through, and download specific memories the person wants shown, and then transfer those memories to the other person. It's going to take a while. The next few days at least." Grace said. The sheriff nodded.

"Don't be shocked if one or both of you start to feel... an overwhelming sense of emotion. It comes with using the device. You don't just _see_ memories, you relive emotions felt _during_ those memories. You both might find that... _that_ is the hardest thing to deal with- the wide range of emtions hitting you. It's perfectly normal."

Zane nodded.

"Thanks, Henry." The older man smiled to him.

"Anytime, Zane." They watched as the pair left the cafe, each thinking seperate thoughts, before returning to their conversation.

The conversation at Cafe Diem was still fresh in their minds as they returned home, put the food on the counter, and hurried upstairs. Jo was the first to reach Brooke's room, and she eagerly scooped her daughter up.

"_Hey Brookie! Did you finally wake up?"_ The baby reached out, pulling on her mom's ponytail. She cooed at her daughter for several minutes, before Zane slipped inside, a still sleepy Dylan balanced on his hip. "Look, _there's Daddy_! And he's got Sissy with him!" After a moment, Zane set his oldest down, steered her towards the door, and went to Jo, pressing a kiss to her lips.

"I'm gonna go take a quick shower. I'll be down there soon." She nodded.

"Okay." He glanced back at his girls as he left, shaking his head. As he stripped and stepped into the shower, letting the water rain over him, he realized that in the short span of a few hours, she was already acting with Brooke, the way she'd acted with Dylan- loving, caring. Not that Jo herself wasn't, but... but there was a difference with this Jo. Since her memories were coming back, she was more affectionate, gentler, more loving. Much like his wife had been before-

He sighed, becoming so lost in his thoughts, that he didn't hear the shower door shut, or her soft footfalls. He snapped out of his thoughts when her arms went around his waist. After a moment, she whispered, "Want some company? I thought that we could start the day off right." He glanced back at her, a soft smile on her face.

"I thought you were downstairs with Dy." He replied, turning in her arms. She chuckled.

"I wanted time alone with you." She replied, nuzzling into his neck. He rolled his eyes.

"You get me all day at work, and all day at home, and all night in bed. I'd think you'd want a break from me." She snorted softly, shaking her head.

"But at work, I have to share you, at home the girls are around here, and in bed... well, if I had my way, we'd never leave that bed." He laughed softly. "So what do you say?"

"I don't think I can." She thought a moment, eyes to the ceiling before pulling away and glancing down.

"Oh _I would disagree_." He let out a strangled laugh as she nuzzled into his neck again, and pulled away.

"Not what I meant, darling. I just-" She pulled away, staring into his eyes. His mind was clearly somewhere else. She could see it. Another memory or no, she wasn't sure, but it unnerved her. After a moment, he pulled away, pressing a kiss to her forehead and stepping out of the shower.

"Zane-" She followed minutes later, a towel wrapped around her small body. He was half dressed in just boxers and jeans, and she sighed internally, taking a seat next to him on the bed. "Zane? What's wrong, babe?" After a moment, she tugged his chin towards her. "Hey, what's wrong?" He looked up at her, tears in his eyes.

"I..." He licked his lips. "I never realized... how much I hurt you."

"What are you talking about? Zane?" She sat down next to him. "Hey, babe, look at me. What are you talking about?"  
He sighed.

"Some of the things I said, the things I did... in the... alternate timeline. I... I could never _imagine_ doing that to you. I said horrible things... messed with Zoe just to mess with Carter, without any thought to your heart... I couldn't do that to you, not here. Not if I wanted... any chance... at the life we have now." He took her hand, lacing their fingers. "I couldn't hurt you like that without hurting myself in the process." She listened, feeling tears begin to prick her eyes, before she gathered him to her, holding him close.

"I... I'm so... I'm so sorry..."

"It's not your fault, Jojo. I... _God, in that timeline_, I... I should have..." She pulled away, looking into his eyes.

"You _didn't know_. You didn't know we were involved, let alone on the verge of getting engaged. All you knew was that I was acting differently- and then you figured it out. Kissed-"

"Kissed you in Carter's office, after you threw the ring at me. I know." He sighed, playing with her fingers. A moment passed, before he looked up. "I love you, Jo. You know that, right?" She nodded.

"I know you do." She wrapped her arms tight around his neck, burying her face in his hair. Eventually, they broke apart, and got dressed, heading downstairs. Dylan was at the kitchen table, eating her maple bar; Zane couldn't help laughing at the maple glaze around his daughter's mouth, and he leaned down, pressing a kiss to her sticky cheek.


	62. Chapter 62

**R****ifiuto: Non Miriena+**

**A/N: These chapters and the * other chapters will be fleshed out later.**

Zane looked up to see Carter enter.

"She still maintains that she's in love with me." He muttered as Carter took a seat beside him. The sheriff studied the younger man, saw how confused and worried he was.

He didn't like Zane; from the moment the younger man camed to town, he'd set his sights on Jo, and no matter the inconvenience to everyone else, he'd do something stupid. From buying her lingerie to nearly blowing up Main Street, from setting monkeys free on Founders' Day to...

There were so many incidents that Carter couldn't name them all. Incidents that nearly cost Jo her life on more than one occasion. And could give Carter a reason to send the punk back to prison.

But now...

Now he wasn't so sure.


	63. Chapter 63

**R****ifiuto: Non Miriena**

She rolled over, groaning. Her head hurt, almost like she'd been hit with a bat, and her eyes were dry. When she slowly opened her eyes, she saw Zane, curled up beside her, his arms tight around her body, sound asleep. A moment passed, before she sat up. The room was a mess; the bedside lamp lay broken across the room, books and photographs scattered the floor, almost like a hurricane had ripped through the bedroom. She shook her head slowly, clearing the fog in her brain, as she turned to look at Zane.

He slept peacefully by her side; she could hear his even, steady breathing, saw the worry lines on his forehead- more deep, complicated dreams, she guessed, or memories.

_Oh Zane..._

She sighed, slowly untangling his arms from around her waist and getting up. Once free, she leaned down, pressing a kiss to his cheek before slipping out of the room. She slowly padded down the hall towards Dylan's room, slipping inside to check on her oldest. The little girl was tucked under the covers, her teddy bear clutched tight within her grasp. A moment passed, as she watched her child sleep, and then she knelt beside her, reaching up to brush the raven locks away from her eyes.

"You sure you're all right?"

She nodded, gripping the table as he rubbed her back. "Yeah... fine. Just... dealing with a... contraction."

One simple word sent him into a panic, and it took her several minutes to get him to calm down, even as her labor progressed at a rapid pace.

"I'm calling Allison-"

"Zane, babe, don't, I'm fine-"

"You won't be for long! She's going to have to come out sooner or later, and I'd rather Allison deliver her than-"

"Zane." She raised an eyebrow, but he ignored her, calling Allison's cell in a panic. Seeing as she wasn't getting anywhere, she went upstairs to grab something, only to stop and grab the banister. The feel of something warm sliding down her legs sent her heart into her throat, and she bit her lip to keep from screaming. But Zane, being Zane, caught the minor disturbance in the house, and rushed to her side.

"Are you all right? Jo!" She looked up at him, teeth in her lip.

"Oh I'm fine. Other... than the fact that my water just broke... but I'm fine otherwise. Just peachy." She grounded out, digging her nails into the wood as another contraction came. Gently, Zane helped her downstairs and out to the car. He called Allison four more times on the way over to the infirmary, hitting the brakes everytime she cried out because of a contraction.

"Zane, if you don't stop hitting the breaks and keep driving, I'm gonna commit murder and no one will find the body, let alone convict me! Now drive!"

High speed chase didn't even begin to describe it. By the time they reached the infirmary, she was well into heavy labor and a centimeter away from being allowed to push. Not that that stopped her daughter. At almost ten centimeters, the baby was already crowning- which gave her mother no end of grief. The birth was long and difficult, and when she finally heard her daughter's shrill, healthy cry, she collapsed back against the pillows, exhausted. Zoe laid the baby on her chest, and after several moments, the cries diminished. Jo could feel her heart rate begin to return to normal, and after several minutes, she let Allison take her back, clean her off, weigh her and wrap her in a blanket. Just as she was guiding her daughter's mouth to her breast, the door opened and she looked up.

Luca rushed in, out of breath, worry written on every inch of his face. She gave him a small smile, laying her head back against Zane's shoulder. Her brother took a deep breath, his eyes going from Jo and Zane to the baby at her breast. "Is she-"

"She just arrived, Luc. You're just in time to meet her, Uncle." She whispered, turning her gaze to her daughter once the baby finished nursing. A moment passed, as Luca slowly made his way to the bed, taking a seat beside his little sister.

"God, Josie, she's... so tiny." He whispered, glancing down at the stuffed animal in his hands. "I... picked this up for her in Barcelona." He said, holding the teddy bear out to Zane. Her husband took the toy, as Jo leaned over and gently laid her newborn daughter in her brother's arms.

"You know how to hold her, right, Luca?" Allison asked, watching from the other side of the bed. The young man glanced at the good doctor, a grin on his face.

"Yeah, I know how, Dr. Blake. I... I remember holding Josie when she was this small..." He moved his gaze down to his niece. "I was... about two, I guess, and we went in to see Mom, and Dad pulled me onto his lap, and helped me hold you, Josie-Lou-Who. I still remember you staring up at me with those dark eyes-" He stopped, upon seeing his niece's eyes. "wow. She... she has your eyes, Zane."

His brother-in-law chuckled softly, as his wife took the teddy bear. "She has my eyes, but she's all Jojo."

"Not all me. She's both of us, Zane." Jo replied, turning her gaze to the teddy bear. "Thank you, Luc. She'll love it." The bear was brown, with a black flamenco skirt and a white peasant blouse, a red sash tied around its waist. Small gold hoop earrings were in its ears, and it had a red rose tucked behind its ear. Jo chuckled softly; if only Luca knew what this reminded her of.

"Something funny, babe?" Zane asked softly. She shook her head.

"No. Just... just one of those occasions where if I don't laugh, I'm gonna cry. Thank you so much, Luc. She'll love it." He grinned at her, his dark eyes dancing.

"I hope so, Josie." Then, he returned his gaze to the baby in his arms. "Mom would be proud, Josie. She wanted a girl so badly... and she succeeded in the end. You and Zane got lucky first time around." Zane rolled his eyes.

"I love my nephews, but... if I can be the father to just daughters, you won't hear me complaining." Luca glanced from one to the other.

"Let's just hope you have hundreds of beautiful little girls that look like Josie, then." Then, he held out his index finger; the baby grabbed his finger with her firm grip. Luca chuckled. "What's your name, little Donovan?" He whispered, eyes alight with love for the baby girl who'd just entered the world hours earlier.

"Dylan." Zane whispered. "For Jo's friend- the one killed in the towers." Luca's head snapped up.

"Dylan? Dylan... Donovan?" Jo nodded.

"Yes, Luc. Dylan. Tessa. Donovan. Seven... seven pounds, five ounces. She wasn't tiny; not matter what you think, she was anything but tiny." Her brother nodded, the strangest look in his eye. "What? Luca, what... what is it?" He shook his head, a small smile on his face.

"So you named her for... your friend and for... your mother-in-law and Mom." Jo's brow furrowed.

"I... Mom's name was Clarissa, Luc, not..."

"Clarissa was her first name, Josie." He licked his lips. "Her full name was Clarissa Dylan Perilli. Clarissa Dylan Lupo, later on."

"I never-"

"None of us knew, except for Dad and Uncle Theo." He glanced at the bear in his sister's hands. "Check around the bear's neck, Josie." He watched as his sister did as told, pulling a locket from around the bear's neck. She gently turned it in her hands, noticing the cursive on the front.

Dylan.

Her breath caught in her throat as she opened it, to find a photograph of her parents nestled inside, both grinning and happy. "Where did you-"

"The bear was hers, when she was a little girl. I found the bear in the guest room of our great-aunt's house in Barcelona. I figured, that... maybe your baby girl would like it." Tears began to well in her eyes, and she looked up at her brother.

"Thank you, Luc. But... I don't understand... everyone... everyone always called her-"

"Only Dad called her Dylan, when they were alone. It was his... his pet name for her, and his alone. To everyone else, she was Clarissa. To Dad, she was Dylan. To us, Mom. And to... this little one..."

"Grandma." Jo finished. Luca nodded.

"Mom would be proud, Josie-Lou-Who. Proud and honored."

The memory faded, and after a moment, Jo moved her gaze down to the teddy bear. The animal was tucked possessively in her daughter's arms, watching her with dark eyes. Taking a deep breath, Jo reached out and traced the bear's features.

"You've seen a lot of happiness and a lot of sorrow, a lot of love and a lot of hate, haven't you? You comforted my mom when she was little, and now you're comforting my little girl. Did you ever think you'd be in her granddaughter's arms?" She whispered softly, brushing her fingers over the fabric of the blouse. Then, she leaned close, pressing her lips to the bear's ear. "Thank you, for being there- for both my mom and my baby girl."

"Mommy?" She pulled away, to find herself staring into sleepy ice blue eyes. "Why... talking to my bear?" Jo swallowed, struggling to think of something to say, before,

"You know that stuffed animals can hear you, right?" The child shook her head, yawning. "Well they can. And if you whisper something too them, they'll send it up to heaven, to the people you love. Stuffed animals are our messengers. They send messages to the ones we miss because they miss us too. It's so that they know that we still love them." The child yawned again, rubbing her eyes.

"Really?" Jo nodded, unaware that Zane stood near the slightly open door, listening. He'd woken up to find his wife out of bed, and come into the hall- the sound of her voice had drawn him towards Dylan's room.

"Yes."

"So... Uncle Luca knows that... we love him?" Jo paled.

"Who told you about Uncle Luca, baby?"

"AIDA. She told me that was why you were screaming and crying."

"It was, baby. I... love Uncle Luca very, very much and... it hurts, losing him. I keep thinking that I'm going to lose Daddy and you and Brookie... and I'm scared."

"You won't lose us, Mommy. You're coming back to us." Dylan whispered, reaching out for her. Jo wrapped her arms around her daughter, holding her close. "You have nothing to be scared of, Mommy." Jo pulled away, and the little girl held out the teddy bear. "You can sleep with teddy, if you want. She'll make so your not scared anymore." Zane couldn't help the tears sliding down his cheeks at his daughter's innocent logic. He leaned his head back against the wall, closing his eyes as he listened to Jo's reply.

"Thank you, sweetie, but you need her more than I do." The child's face fell.

"Oh. Will Daddy keep you from being scared?" Jo chuckled softly.

"Daddy's sound asleep, baby. I don't want to wake him up."

"Oh." The girl seemed to think for a moment. "You can sleep with teddy and me, if you want." Jo gave her a watery smile.

"I'd like that very much, baby girl." Zane pulled away from the wall, watching in silence as Dylan scooted over and Jo climbed onto the bed beside her. Jo wrapped an arm around her child, holding her close, and after a moment, Dylan wrapped a blanket around her mom's legs before settling back down.

"Mommy?" Jo met her daughter's eyes as the child turned to look at her over her shoulder.

"What baby?"

"Are you crying because you miss Uncle Luca?" Jo thought a moment, nodding.

"Yes. I miss Uncle Luca very much."

"Oh... I miss him too." Jo pressed a kiss to her child's forehead.

"We all miss him, baby."

"Even Daddy?" Zane held his breath, tears sliding down his cheeks. After a moment, he heard,

"Yes, baby, even Daddy. Daddy and Uncle Luca were very close. They both loved me and they both loved you and Brookie. Very, very much."

The child settled down the sleep, but Jo remained awake, thinking back on the memory. Luca and Zane were the two most important men in her life- and now one was dead, and she'd nearly- no, not nearly, in the other two timelines, she _had_ lost the other one. And now, as she snuggled down with her oldest child, she thought back on her family- two of her brothers were dead, one was MIA, and she was alone. Her father was back in Jersey, but that was of little comfort now-

"Mommy?"

"Hmm?"

"Daddy can sleep with us if he gets scared." Zane chuckled softly, taking a deep breath.

"I don't think the three of us would fit on your bed, baby girl. Don't worry, if Daddy gets scared, I'll go crawl in bed with him. I promise."

"Good... Mommy?"

"Hmm?"

"I love you." Jo took a deep breath.

"I love you too, baby."

Eventually, Zane slipped into the room. Jo was curled around Dylan, holding her daughter protectively to her chest, her face buried in the child's wild black curls. He watched his girls sleep, his gaze ending on the teddy bear tight in Dylan's grasp. After a moment, he grabbed a blanket off Dylan's desk chair, and tucked it around his girls, pressing a kiss first to Dylan's cheek and then Jo's. "I love you, my sweet girls."

Then, he slipped out of the room and returned to bed.


	64. Chapter 64

**R****ifiuto: Non Miriena**

She awoke the next morning, confused as to why she was in her daughter's room. As she pushed the blanket off her body, Dylan snuggled closer, her slender arms around Jo's neck, face buried in her chest. Slowly, Jo pulled away, getting up and going to the door. The sight of the teddy bear on the floor caught her eye and she picked it up.

Her footsteps were slow, as she slipped out of the room and went downstairs. The house was warm, despite the winter temperature outside. Hard to believe it was almost Christmas again. Her fingers worked over the soft material of the blouse and skirt, and after a moment, she sighed, burying her face in the top of the bear's head. It even smelled like her mom-

_Roses and cinnamon._

"Morning, Jojo." She looked up, finding herself in the kitchen. Zane stood at the counter, a cup of coffee in his hands his hair damp from his shower. His headphones were around his ears, and she could hear The Talking Heads's _And She Was _bleeding through. A small part of her couldn't help laughing at how like her Zane this one was. She sighed, shuffling towards him.

"Morning. Did you sleep well?" He nodded, as she set the bear on the counter and wrapped her arms around his waist.

"You?" She shrugged, taking his coffee and taking a sip. "Not good? I'm sure Dy would be hurt-"

"How did you-" She shoved him roughly after realizing it. "Jackass!" He chuckled softly,

"I wanted to make sure you were okay."

"And was I?" She asked, bringing his cup to her lips again. He nodded, grabbing the cup that had been hers and taking a sip.

"Yes. Dylan took good care of you. And... so did teddy." She blushed, setting the cup down.

"My mom... it belonged to her. I... vaguely remember her telling me... stories about how she would spend summers at her Grandmother's in Spain. The... bazaars and days at the beach with her sisters... the nights in the city near the fountain... the food... she was the youngest of ten. All girls, except for my Uncle Lalo. Older brother and... one of only three left."

"What happened to them?" Zane asked softly, wrapping his arms around her waist. She sighed.

"Aunt Adela was hit by a car and killed in the nineties in Chicago- drunk driver. Aunt Carlota contracted AIDS from her lover in seventy-six, died in 'ninety-nine. Marta and Azucena were kidnapped walking home from school in the early sixties; Azucena's body was found in a dumpster three weeks later, Marta has never been found, the case has never been solved. Julietta got involved with a guy in college, he beat her before strangling and hacking her up and burying her in floor of their apartment. Natalia became a pilot- and later a war correspondent- and lives in Montana on a ranch. Francesca went to her high school prom, was crowned queen, and later found dead of an overdose in the school bathroom. Eduardo is a Naval Captain stationed in Japan. And... my mom-"

"Clarissa." She nodded.

"Was spending the summer in Barcelona when she was in college. That's where she met my dad. At a party on the beach. He was stationed there, they fell in love... stayed in touch, got married when he came back stateside, and... the rest is history." He nodded.

"And... your namesake?" Zane asked, sipping his coffee. She sighed.

"My Aunt Josephina lives  
in Seattle, she owns clothing boutique. She... blames my dad for my mom's death... and refuses anything to do with him or us..."

"So she's never met the girls." Zane finished. She nodded. They stood in silence for several minutes, before she gently moved the teddy bear aside and hopped onto the counter. "How are you feeling?" He asked, going to her. She sipped her coffee for several minutes, before shrugging.

"Other than... dealing with my brother's death and having your memories shove their way into my head, I'm doing okay. You?" He chuckled softly, slipping between her legs and running his hands over her small body, before resting them on her shapely hips.

"Doin' all right." He whispered, searching her face- for what, she didn't know. Then, he leaned down, capturing her lips in a gentle kiss, his hands moving up and down her pajama-clad thighs. She purred softly, her hands working their way around his waist; she gently slid her hands down his backside, cupping gently. He tugged gently on her lower lip with his teeth, illiciting a soft moan from her throat, and she gripped him tighter, one bare foot gently sliding up and down his leg. He chuckled softly against her mouth, and she squeezed harder, a sign that she enjoyed what he was doing to her. "Are you trying to make me hard for you?" He whispered, his breath caressing the soft shell of her ear. Suddenly, her grin collapsed, and she pushed him away.

The image of them, in the same compromising position, here in her kitchen, back in her timeline, splashed over her. It'd been after the Astreaus training, after a long night of Zane helping her study, although they'd soon given up studying formulas in favor of studying each others' mouths, and Jo had done exactly as she'd done now, he'd whispered the exact same thing in her ear, and instead of her pushing him away, they'd undressed each other and made love- although, could she even call it that with that Zane? She made love with this Zane, with her Zane in the old timeline, but with that Zane?- there on the counter, as the lights dimmed and it started to rain.

"What's wrong? Jojo? What is it?" She hopped off the counter, gently pushing him aside.

"I... I need to... to go take a quick... quick shower..." He grabbed her arm, pulling her back to him.

"Hey? _Look at me. Jojo_, look at me." Slowly, she raised her head, meeting his dark eyes. After a moment, he reached up, taking her face in his rough, calloused hands. "What happened? What's wrong? Tell me... Jo, tell me. Was it... the memory? That memory of... the two of you? You and... and him?" Her teeth began to worry her lip. "Do you... do you still dream about... about _sleeping with him_?" Her teeth dug deeper at the hurt in his tone. She shook her head.

"No. No, babe. It... it was just a memory... of... essentially us. Just a... a different you." She sniffled. "It was nothing." She leaned up, kissing him. "I promise." She turned to go, but he grabbed her arm, turning her back to him. His blue eyes welled with unnamed emotion, and after a moment, he whispered,

"Is that all I am to you? A means to... to fulfill a fantasy?" She didn't say anything, just licked her lips, turning her head. "Jo, we're a _couple_. We have a _family_. We're _husband and wife_, we're _a team_. We _don't_ betray each other and we _don't keep secrets_. We tell each other _everything_-"

"No we don't." She looked up at him, tears in her eyes. "Not in my time. We kept secrets and went after each other, and flirted and dated and made out with other people just to hurt each other. Because _that's who we are! That's us, Zane! That's what we do_!"

He shook his head. "Maybe that's what you did in your time, but we didn't do it here. We grew out of that, fast."

"Well _we didn't._ We jumped to conclusions and accused each other, just like we always did, at the slightest _hint_ of jealousy! I made out with other men more than once to make you jealous, _just like always_. We've _always_ done that to each other!" She snapped, attempting to pull away.

_"Not my Jo."_ He growled, pulling her back to him. She looked up at him. "_My Jo didn't do that!_ Once we started dating, we worked it out- every little issue we hit, we worked out-"

_"I'M NOT YOUR JO!"_ She screamed. _"AND YOU'RE NOT MY ZANE!"_ He let go of her, sending her stumbling back. He thought a moment, studying her, before reaching behind his ear and removing the node. He shut it off, biting his lip.

"Then this is pointless. This whole... sharing memories is a waste of time. An absolute waste of time." Then, he brushed past her, grabbing his jacket and slipping out of the house. She watched him go; once again, he was walking out of her life, because she'd said the wrong thing. First the proposal, now this.

"Mommy? Why is Daddy angry?"

She crumpled, wishing she'd gone to a timeline where she never existed.


	65. Chapter 65

**R****ifiuto: Non Miriena**

**A/N: This chapter and the one before are set in December, and there's a reason why...**

"Jack, it's more than just-" Henry stopped, at the sight of Zane sitting alone at the counter. The two men shared a confused glance before going to him.

"Uh... somethin' wrong, Zane? Where's Jo?" He shrugged, never taking his gaze away from his coffee. "Something happen between the two of you?"

"You could say that." Zane whispered, taking a sip of his drink.

"You get into a fight?" The younger man's silence was enough of an answer. After a moment, Zane set something on the counter, pushing it towards Henry.

"You can have this back, Henry. We won't be needing them anymore."

"So you've... resolved your issues?" Carter asked. Zane didn't respond. "Why do you only have one?"

"Jo has the other one." Carter nodded.

"So... you're back on the same page..." It was then that Zane turned to them.

"We were never _on_ the same page, Carter." He replied, getting up and leaving the cafe. It didn't take long for him to hear Carter and Henry's footsteps behind him.

"Zane, what happened?" Carter asked, going to him. The younger man sighed.

"She doesn't want to be here. I'm just some... stand-in for her fantasy... if she doesn't want to be here, then she can go back to where she came from. I don't want her. I want my Jo back." Carter grabbed his arm as he turned to go.

"Zane, let's go to my place." Henry said. Thirty minutes later, the three men were sitting in Henry's garage, two of them listening as one talked.

"She told me flat out that I'm not her Zane. She doesn't want me, she doesn't want the girls, she just wants to go home. So I'll let her. If her leaving will bring my Jo back, might as well."

"We don't know that, Zane." Henry cut in. "Yes, there are infinite universes out there, but what are the chances that she would make it back to her time, and that your Jo would return to this one? And even if it did happen, for all we know, this universe and all the others could be ripped apart at the seams. It's too risky." Carter watched the younger man, seeing the tears glistening in his eyes.

"You wouldn't want her to go, would you? You wouldn't allow her to leave, would you, Zane? Because you're in love with her." He whispered, watching the young man that he considered his son break.

"Does it matter, Carter? Not once- _not once_- have I ever, _ever_ heard her say it to me. To the girls, yes, but to me? No. I have _never_ heard that phrase pass her lips in my direction." He took a deep breath, tears slipping down his cheeks. "She adores the girls, and they adore her. She's their mother... but she's not. She's not my wife and she's not their mother... not the one they know... I wanted to shake her." He got up, pacing. "I wanted to grab her and shaking her so hard her eyes rolled. I wanted to hit her... so hard it'd leave a mark... I wanted to beat her to a pulp... until she turned blue black and blue and quit breathing... but I couldn't. I can't imagine laying a hand on her like that. She's the mother of my children! Not the woman I remember, but she's still their mother! They still need her!" He clenched his fists, finally burying his hands in his hair. "I didn't, but _God I wanted to_!" He cried, turning to them. Hot tears rolled down his cheeks, making his seem- to both men- like a child, lost and alone.

"Zane, you're in love." The statement was simple, speaking volumes in three little words. He took a deep breath, glancing at Carter. For all his lack of science smarts, all his common sense, all his 'everyman' quality, he sure could hit the nail on the head.

_More like pound it in._

"With my wife." Carter shook his head.

"No. _With this Jo_. _This Jo is your wife._ She may not have all the memories you have- of your marriage and your life together and your daughters- but she _is still your wife_. She's just a different version of the woman you remember, that doesn't mean she's not Jo! She is Jo! Just... just a different model. She has her own experiences and her own memories of the life she was living with you, but that doesn't mean she doesn't love you."

"Zane, people _are_ who they are, at their _core_. In that other time, _you were still you_, she just needed to dig to find you." Henry said, resting his chin on his hand in that way he had when he was thinking something thru. "The timeline _may_ change, but the people in it don't. _Ultimately_, the only thing that's really different in an alternate time is that the _choices you make_ chart your course in life. In this timeline, Jo accepted your proposal. You got married. Had Dylan. Had Brooke. You and Jo created a life together. In her timeline, she hesitated. Carter interrupted and assumed when he shouldn't have. You walked out. I'm not saying you wouldn't be here in her time- you probably would be, but it would have taken you longer to get here. _It was the choices the two of you made, that charted your course- in both times_. This is choice, Zane. You chose to propose, she chose to accept, you chose to have the girls-"

"I didn't _chose_ to have my wife ripped from my arms and replaced! I didn't _chose_ to bring in this new replacement! _I didn't chose that_!" Zane cut in, anger flashing in his blue eyes.

"I know. I know you didn't. Neither did she. She didn't chose to replace the Jo you know and remember, she just chose to try and get home. That's all. The choices we make chart the course for our lives. And we have to follow, whether we like it or not."

Zane shook his head. "I didn't ask for her. I didn't want her. I want my wife back."

"She is your wife, Zane-"

_"Not the one I remember_! Not mine."

Henry went to the younger man, laying a hand on his shoulder. "Zane, _you're in love_. And _it hurts_. It hurts because you're in love with her, _so in love_ with her, but she's terrified of loving you, for fear of betraying the one she knows. What she doesn't _realize_, is that by hurting you, she's hurting the one _she_ remembers. You _are_ her Zane, and she _is_ your Jo, you just... you haven't found... those parts of yourselves yet. You still need to find them, and it's going to take you a while. It's going to take time. And once you find those missing pieces, you'll not only find yourselves, but you'll find each other."

Zane looked up at him, fresh tears in his eyes. "I was some else before. In her time. Someone she remembers, that she compares me to." He took a deep breath. "Is that... someone else _really_ better than I am now... do I want to be him or... do I want to be who _I_ am?"

"You are who you wanna be, Zane."


	66. Chapter 66

**R****ifiuto: Non Miriena**

He turned, to see the door close softly. He didn't notice Allison or Grace, only her.

Her dark hair was down in waves, silken strands resting about her shoulders. The black and white horizontal striped shirt she wore was crisp, clean, the hem resting just over the pockets of her jeans. Her hands were at her sides, the cuffs of her black leather jacket just coming to rest near the cuticles of her thumbs. He could see the gold locket around her neck, the tip resting above her cleavage. She looked refreshed, clean, except for the tears on her cheeks. She'd been crying, just like he had. After a moment, she put her hands in the pockets of her jacket.

"How... long have you been..."

She shrugged. "Long enough to hear everything. How you wanted to kill me. That you don't _want_ me, that you think you need to be him to be _mine_, that... that _I'm hurting you_..." She took a deep breath. Neither noticed Henry and Carter follow Grace and Allison out of the garage, nor the door close behind them. They only noticed each other.

"I don't mean to. _God, I don't mean to_, I just..." She buried her face in her hands, choking back a sob. After a moment, he went to her. She shook her head, backing away. "I... _never meant to_... _cause this much... pain. I didn't... mean to... I'm so sorry_..." She broke down fully then, crumbling, and on instinct, Zane grabbed her around the waist, pulling her to him. She looked up, startled to be back in his arms. Sniffling, she reached up, brushing a tear away.

"Crying?" He nodded.

"I'm so sorry, Jo. So, so sorry." He said, gathering her to his chest and burying his face in her hair. Slowly, she wrapped her arms around his neck, melding her body to his. It was ironic, how perfectly they fit together. Like they were made for each other. Two granite figures cut from the same block. She sniffled; this was what it had felt like with her Zane, in her time. A pair, partners. Lovers, soul mates. She was his best friend, and he was hers. The one person she could let her guard down with, and not be judged.

He held her for several minutes, rubbing her back, burying his nose in her hair and breathing her in. The scent of his children's innocence washed over him, bubblegum shampoo, and... fresh flowers. Roses and lilies with a hint of pomegranate.

The perfume he'd gotten her one year for her birthday- she'd admired the flowers in Dr. Leonardo's greenhouse, and had begged the botanist for a sample of the fragrant roses and lilies she was cross-pollinating with pomagranate fruit, to no avail. Two days before her birthday, Zane had cornered Dr. Leonardo down in Section Three and managed to smooth-talk her into giving him a sample for Jo's birthday. With a flash of his trademark smile, the sight of the dimples in his cheeks, and a soft, melting purr, he had the good doctor weak in the knees, with a promise to get the sample too him by the next morning. When he'd gotten to work the next morning, the sample had been sitting on his desk.

The pretty, candy apple red liquid resided in a nice crystal perfume bottle, a matching bow tied around it's neck. The crystal top was cut in the shape of a rose, and there was a card resting beside it, saying that if Zane needed anything else for Jo, just to let her know. Zane had chuckled, deciding to take Dr. Leonardo out to lunch to thank her, before carefully laying the perfume bottle in the box he'd picked up the day before. Even years after tying the knot with Jo, Zane still made the women in GD swoon with one glance and a smile.

Jo, of course, had loved it- and now, as he breathed the familiar scent in, he was amazed that she had found it, let alone had the presence of mind to put some on. He buried his face deeper in her hair, breathing in her scent, letting himself be enveloped in the scents that made his heart flip. A moment passed, before he pressed a firm kiss to the smooth skin of her neck, his arms tightening further around her. Suddenly, everything they'd been fighting about, all the reasons as to why they didn't fit, weren't important.

Not as much as getting their family back together.

"Pomegranate."

She pulled away, tears in her eyes. "What?" She stared at him, confusion clouding her dark eyes.

"The perfume I got you. I... Dr. Leonardo had been working on cross-breeding roses and lilies and pomegranates together, and... you found out and begged her to give you a sample. She refused." He licked his lips, letting the memory return. "And... I found out, and... cornered her down in Section Three and... asked if I could have a sample- for your birthday. When I got to my office the next morning, it was sitting on my desk, in a-"

"Crystal perfume bottle, with a rose cut top, and a red ribbon around the neck. You... placed it in a... a silver-wrapped box with a green ribbon, and laid it on the table during dinner. Said it was something you were sure I'd love." She finished, giving him a watery smile. He nodded.

"Yeah, how did you-" She licked her lips, taking a deep breath.

"I remember. Little things. They've been coming through since you turned your device off..." She bit her lip, turning and taking a seat on one of the stools. "I... I go somewhere in the house, and I see a memory. Go into the bedroom, and there's... memories of... late night chats, sit on the bed, flashes of us making love... go into Dylan's room, and we're getting the nursey ready for her, go downstairs... flick through the books on the shelves, I see us, discussing literature or reading the paper together." He stopped in front of her. He hadn't even realized he'd been making his way towards her, until she reached out, running her fingers over his shirt, before grabbing the lapels of his jacket and pulling him closer, down to her level. "I touch you, or your clothing, and..."

He grabbed her around the waist, pulling her back onto the bed, the coarse material of his jacket rubbing against her silky skin. She turned in his arms, grabbing the lapels and pulling him too her as their lips crashed together.

"I..." She stopped, her dark eyes trailing up his shirt to his face. He waisted, silent, patient, for her to finish. "I see..."

She leaned back against his desk, arms crossed.

"Well, you've been gone a week. You gonna come give me a proper hello?" He grinned, stepping closer, hands in his pockets.

"I guess I could... Hello." She grinned back.

"Hello." Their lips met, and he wrapped an arm around her waist, pushing her back onto the desk as he climbed up after her. Her arm went around his neck, and they deepened the kiss, even as they moved back. Eventually, their proper hello took them both over the edge- literally.

She bit her lip as the memory faded. Her dark eyes locked on his, and she thought a moment, before whispering,

"I touch you and... I see... us. Our life. Together. Our wedding, our girls, our family... dinners at SARAH and lunch with Henry and Grace, Christmases in Boston, Easters in Jersey, anniversary dinners at Cafe Diem, birthdays, Thanksgivings, family gatherings..." Her eyes briefly roamed down his shirt, landing on the Section Five Pin on his lapel. Gently, she reached out, adjusting it slightly. "Director meetings and... psychotic accidents; saving the town and going to work... sharing showers and making cookies and... taking Dylan to the park... visiting my dad... summers with your mom..." She sighed, licking her lips. "It's a lot to take in."

He nodded, as she reached up and brushed a tear away. "Bet it is." He whispered, staring into her eyes. "What do you see when I kiss you?" He asked, voice husky. She furrowed her brow, shaking her head briefly.

"I... I don't-" His lips crashed onto hers before she could finish. He forced her mouth open, running his tongue along the inner edge of her lower lip, over her teeth and into the back crevices of her mouth in that way he had. He tasted the tea she'd had earlier, the peppermint of her toothpaste, the specific taste that only belonged to her. His hands grabbed her waist, pulling her closer, and after a moment, she parted her knees, allowing him closer. The kiss deepened, as his hands leisurely moved down her sides to rest on her hips, lightly tracing the familiar curves of her body that he knew so well. The kiss was passionate, fervid, like their kisses always were. Noses brushed together as they tugged gently on lips and let their tongues battle. Hearts leapt together, and minds locked as one, souls joined and love rushed in as memories flooded their minds, in an effort to bring them back together as one.

A menagerie of images, scents and sounds assaulted her, from the scent of coffee to the sound of gunfire. Dylan's first steps, first word, their first Christmas together in Boston with Tessa, their honeymoon in Nova Scotia- a gift from their friends; accidents and runaway projects at GD, quiet nights at home with thier daughter or evenings out by themselves, barbaques, baseball games, weddings, anniversaries. Karaoke nights at Cafe Diem, family Christmases at Carter's place, Zoe's graduation from Tesla, Kevin's goodbye party, Founders' Days, birthdays, funerals. Playing out in the snow with Dylan, having snowball fights or paintball wars with Taggart and Carter, early morning coffee with Allison and Grace or late night dinners after work in the back corner of Cafe Diem.

Memories, people with names and places with experiences, family, friends, those lost and those found, births, deaths, and everything in between. She wrapped her arms around his neck, holding him tight to her, drinking him in and finding the man she'd been longing for since coming to this time. He'd been here, all along, wrapped tight in her arms, buried so deep she'd been unable to find him, 'til now.

Her pulse leapt, her heart pounded, and every cell in her body screamed as he pulled away. She could hear his deep, rapid breathing- similar to hers, most likely- and slowly, so very slowly, she opened her eyes.


	67. Chapter 67

**R****ifiuto: Non Miriena***

She glanced at the others, before rushing after him. She skidded to a stop out in the hall, watching him walk away.

"Zane! Zane, wait!"

He stopped, turning to her. "What? What do you want, Jo?" She bit her lip before going to him. Then, she took his face in her hands, stared into his eyes, and whispered,

"I... Zane, I..."

"You what? What? If you have something to say, say it. Just tell me, Jo."

She thought a moment, weighing the options. He rolled his eyes, pulling away, but she grabbed his shirt, crashing her lips onto his. Her arms wrapped around his neck, and he found himself pulling her closer, wrapping his arms around her waist.


	68. Chapter 68

**R****ifiuto: Non Miriena**

**A/N: _The_ scene has been moved from a burned house, to Henry's garage... in the last chapter, and has been continued in this one. And yes, I pulled a couple quotes from _JAD_ into the chapter.**

Broken.

Like Sleeping Beauty or Snow White, the kiss broke the curse, awakening her from her long sleep.

Her dark eyes locked with his, and moments passed with only the sound of their ragged, rapid breathing. He stared at her, his eyes screaming volumes, and after a moment, she grabbed his head, pulling him back to her. Their lips crashed together, he pulled her to him, his hands running up and down her back before wrapping tight around her. Her body pressed to his, she pulled him closer, until he stood between her legs. She drank him in, her arms tightening around his neck. Eventually, he pulled away, leaving gentle kisses on her lips, before resting his forehead against hers. He nudged his nose against hers, eyes alight with volumes of unspoken words. He grinned at her, before capturing her lips once more and drinking her in.

Finally forced apart for air, he once again returned his forehead to hers, eyes closed, breathing even. She reached up, cradling his head in her hands. Neither spoke, neither had to. The kiss spoke volumes, screamed things that hadn't been said...

"I knew..." He thought a moment, licking his lips. She kissed him, causing his mind to shut down briefly. "I knew you were there... I knew you'd come back, I just... I _gave up hope_..."

"Shh. Hush, Zane." The words were soft, as she reached up to lay a finger against his lips. Another kiss soon followed, and another and another, sending them both back to that breathless state. When she finally pulled away, she searched his face, silent. "Hush babe. I'm here. I'm right here." He wrapped her tight in his arms, burying his face in her hair. She tangled her fingers in his black locks, breathing in the scent of the man she loved. "I never thought... I never thought I'd see you again..." Tears choked her vocal chords, and he pulled away to stare into her eyes.

"I thought the same." He whispered, brushing her tears away before pulling her close. "I guess it really did take a kiss to break the curse."

She chuckled softly. "You've been reading _Sleeping Beauty_ to Dylan again, haven't you?" She whispered. He pulled away.

"You remember-" She waited. "You... you remember our... our..."

"Of course I remember Dylan. She's _our daughter_. She's... the most precious thing in the world to us. She and Brookelyn." Jo replied, running a hand down his chest. He chuckled softly.

"You remember Brookelyn? You truly remember Brookelyn?" Her head snapped up.

"_Of course I remember Brookelyn! Why wouldn't I?_ I _gave birth to her nearly two years ago_!" She screwed up her mouth, hitting him lightly in the chest. "_Jackass_. How could I possibly forget giving birth to _your children_? Two of the most painful nights of my life- and that's _not_ including the night I lost the use of my legs." He burst out laughing now, scooping her up and into his arms. Her arms encircled his neck, and she buried her face in his shoulder. She pressed a firm kiss to his neck, breathing him in, before he set her back on her feet.

He took her face in his hands, holding her gently as he searched her eyes. "It's really you?" She nodded, reaching up and holding his wrists.

"And it's you." She replied, the tears in her eyes sliding down her cheeks. He kissed them away before kissing her firmly on the mouth. He pulled away slowly, licking his lips quickly before burying his face in her hair again.

"I missed you."

"And I missed you." She whispered, nudging her nose against his ear.

"God, I never thought I'd see you again. Never thought I'd get to hold you..."

"I know the feeling." He chuckled softly against her hair, tightening his grip on her. They stood in Henry's garage for minutes that felt like hours, unaware that Carter and Henry had taken Allison and Grace into the house for coffee to give them time alone. Had they stood at the window and watched, they would have seen the kiss, and the happy reunion, but chivalry won out, and they left their friends in peace. Eventually, Zane pulled away, staring into her eyes.

"I've got my wife back." She smiled at him, pressing a kiss to his palm.

"And I have my husband." He grinned at her, taking her hands and firmly kissing each palm, before going back to the counter and grabbing the car keys. He stopped though, at the sight of Grace's PTSD node sitting alone. Silent, he picked it up, twirling it around in his fingers. "Zane? Are you coming?"

"Sorry?" He turned back to her, and it was then that she saw what he held. Suddenly, she reached behind her ear, finally finding the small silver node still attached. It took a moment, but she finally managed to remove it and turn it off. The light faded in her palm, and she looked up at Zane.

"Well? Do we really need them now?" He thought a moment, before taking the node from her. She watched as he pulled out one of Henry's note pads and grabbed a pencil, quickly jotting something down, before setting the nodes on the counter. Then, grabbing her hand, he pulled her out of the garage. Once the door banged shut behind them, he stopped, yanking until she was flush against his body, his arms around her waist. "What was that?"

"What was what?" He asked.

"That. Back in the garage. What did you write?" He thought a moment, before leaning down and whispering gently in her ear. Her eyes widened, and she pulled away, mouth forming a small 'o' of surprise. "He said that?" Zane nodded. She chuckled softly, glancing towards the house. "I guess it worked, didn't it?" He nodded, kissing her quickly.

"It certainly did, Jojo." They continued towards the car, but before climbing in, Zane stopped. He pulled her back to him, wrapping his arms tight around her waist. "Hey." She returned his smile.

"Hey." They stared into each others' eyes for several minutes, before he whispered,

"I love you, Jo."

She wrapped her arms around his neck in a tight hug, breathing him in, relishing in the feel of him being back in her embrace. In a soft voice, with meaning behind every word, she whispered,

"I love _you_."


	69. Chapter 69

**R****ifiuto: Non Miriena**

The conversation stopped at the sound of car doors slamming and wheels crunching on gravel. It took several minutes for them all to realize that they hadn't heard Zane and Jo enter the house, and all rushed outside. A car was driving off into the distance, back towards Eureka, and after a moment, Allison and Carter rushed into the garage. Henry and Grace watched the car fade, before finally following their friends.

"They're gone. They're both gone." Allison said, as Henry shut the door softly behind him. "They... drove off, without so much as a by your leave."

"Or... Jo killed Zane and dumped his body in her trunk and drove off. Or vice versa." Carter said, leaning back against the nearby table. "What? It's a possibility." He said at Allison's glare. "We both know how hot-tempered they are. One of them's bound to go off and commit spousicide someday.

"Mariticide." Carter's confused look spoke volumes. "Mariticide. Not spousicide. Mariticide is the killing of one's spouse." Allison clarified. Carter nodded, the new information sinking in. "But those two? No. They love each other too much to kill each other. Consider it? Maybe? Threaten? Definately. But go through with it? No." She turned back to examining the room. "They just left, that's all."

"I wonder... if they worked everything out, or if we'll have to seperate them until they do." Carter replied, fatherly concern for the pair he considered his children kicking in.

Henry stopped his looking, his gaze landing on the notepad and pencil. He instantly recognized Zane's scrawl, a small smile coming to his lips as his gaze moved to the two silver nodes.

"Henry? What is it?" Grace stopped by his side, wondering what had caught her husband's attention, and she read it silently before breaking out in a grin. Eventually, Allison and Carter stopped their arguement, and joined their friends, reading the note over Henry's shoulder.

"I'll be damned." Carter whispered, surprised.

"Sounds like it worked after all." Henry replied, glancing back at the sheriff as he picked up the nodes.

_Henry-_

_You were right. People are who they are. Timelines change, people don't. The choices we make chart the course for our lives, and we have to follow, because they may just lead us back to those we've lost. It takes time to find the pieces of yourself that you're missing, but once you do, everything comes together. You find yourself and the ones you left behind. And sometimes, all it takes, is a kiss to break the curse. _

_You are who you wanna be, in any timeline. _

_- Zane and Jo_


	70. Chapter 70

**R****ifiuto: Non Miriena**

**A/N: Last chapter, with an ending for Jo and Zane that I hope you all like. Honestly, I'm glad to see this story end. Or is it just the beginning...?**

_October Tenth, Two Thousand Nineteen_

"Grandma! Grandpa!" The camera moved towards the doors; Tessa Donovan's eyes widened as two little girls rushed towards them. James Lupo scooped his oldest granddaughter up, pressing a kiss to her cheek.

"There are our girls! How are you doing, little one?"

"Good." Dylan replied, brushing her curls away from her face.

"And how's Mommy doing?" He asked.

"She's having our sister!" Dylan said, excitement in her blue eyes. James's eyes widened.

"Really?" The child nodded, and James set her down, letting her take his hand and lead him further into the room. Tessa and Brooke followed, and the camera followed them. Jo was sitting on the edge of the bed, legs over the side, panting. Her long black hair was pulled back in a ponytail, and she gripped Zane's hand.

"Are we late?" Tessa asked, going to her children and kissing them both on the cheek. Zane shook his head.

"Nope. She hasn't come yet. She's taking her time, like Brooke did. She's not as... impatient as Dylan was."

"Hey!" The child glared at him, hands on her small hips, and Zane chuckled.

"Oh hush, little one." He replied, sending his child's glare right back to her.

"She was easy... I didn't have to... go through this..." Jo choked out; her grip on Zane's hand tightened, and he could feel her body tense through the contraction, but never stopped rubbing her back. She groaned, breathing as best she could through the pain. "Oh God... how can you say breathing helps? It doesn't... it makes it worse..." She groaned, leaning forward. Moments passed as she struggled through the contraction, before looking up at Allison. "I can't take it anymore, I have to walk around-"

"Let me check you first." Allison told her. She and Zane helped Jo to lie back, and as Allison checked her progress, Jo grasped Zane's hand, as contraction after contraction washed over her. Her screams cut off all conversation, reaching dog whistle level, and as she struggled to take a breath after they passed, Allison said, "You aren't gonna be able to get up and walk, Jo. This baby is coming now-"

"What do you mean, Auntie Allison?" Dylan asked, tugging on her aunt's lab coat. The doctor turned to her niece, a small smile on her face as she brought the child close. She softly explained what was going on, even as Jo's screams got louder and more pained with each contraction.

_"Allison! Allis- Oh God! She's crown... She... am I going to have to deliver our child myse... Allison!"_ But before Allison could finish her explanation to her niece, Zoe skidded to a stop in front of Jo.

"Don't worry, Jo, you're doing good!" Jo's dark eyes widened and she shook her head.

"_No! NO!"_

"Why not? I'm doing my residency here!" Zoe protested.

"You just _graduated!"_ Jo cried. "You've never delivered a-" She screamed as she felt her body once again take control.

"So this is my first. It's good practice for me! Besides, you're my sister." Zoe said, giving Jo a small smile. The older woman collapsed back in the pillows, never loosening her grip on Zane's hand.

"I don't have a choice, do I?" She choked out, gasping for air. Zoe shook her head.

"Not really."

"Is the baby here yet? Did we_ miss_ it?"

"What's she look like? Does she have Jo's eyes or Zane's?" Every head turned as Kevin Blake and Jenna Stark- Allison's children- burst through the infirmary doors.

"No, you're just... in time..." Jo choked out, as Zane helped her sit up. She gripped his hand, digging her nails into his skin until she unknowingly drew blood. Allison led Dylan back to her mother, but the child stopped next to Zoe, watching fascinated as her sister was born. "She's not... going to wait..."

"Come on Jo, _push_!" Allison ordered.

Though she herself had never given birth- that had been her alternate, the _original_ Jo Zane had married, the part of her that had been missing when she first came to this time two years earlier- she was thrilled to _finally_ have a child of_ her_ own with Zane- an older version of her Zane, but still. Technically, this was her first child- though she had the_ other_ Jo's memories, she _still_ had never been pregnant, let alone given birth- until now. For Zane, this was his third child, though his first with 'this' Jo- and, like always with a new baby making their way into the world- the excitement was no less.

"You're doing great, darling. That's my girl, Jojo. You know what to do-" She shook her head.

"I don't, I've never..."

"Shh." He brushed strands of dark hair off her forehead. "Just let your body do its job. That's it..." Zane spoke gently to her, keeping a tight hold on his wife, encouraging her in a way no on else could. She did as he instructed, and let her body take control, whimpering in pain as the baby entered the world.

"One more push, Jo! A _good, strong push! Come on, you can do it_! _Push_!" Zoe ordered. Zane glanced up, in time to see Dylan slip between her aunt's arms.

"Dylan, what the_ hell_ are you-" But Zane's scolding of his daughter was drowned out by Jo's opera-etic screams, and he was forced to abandon whatever his daughter was doing for his wife. Jo's screams continued, getting louder and more pained with each push, so much so that either she nor Zane heard the sound of bones snapping as she once again broke his wrist- and every one of his fingers, including his palm.

Moments passed, moments of complete chaos as Zane and Jo's family gathered to witness the birth of the newest Donovan. Brooke had rushed out to get Mansfield from the hall, where he'd been pacing nervously with each scream, Allison pulled Kevin and Jenna into her arms, watching in delighted silence as Jo and Zane's family grew by one more member, Carter- with camera in hand- moved closer, getting an upclose look as Zoe- guiding Dylan's small, childish hands- gently and lovingly helped her sister give birth. He caught the delight and excitement on Dylan's face as Zoe helped her deliver her baby sister from her mother's body-

And suddenly, Carter caught the first image of Jo and Zane's baby girl, as her shrill cries reached everyone's ears. Jo collapsed back among the pillows, catching her breath, a look of tired relief on her face. "Is she here?" Zane nodded.

"Yeah, she's here. You did great, darling." He said, leaning over and kissing her quickly on the lips. "You gave birth to our baby girl. I'm so proud of you." She closed her eyes, taking a deep breath.

"She was my first." Everyone glanced around; they all knew about the time travel incident, and knew that certain things- like this- had never happened to Jo- Allison had confirmed, after discovering the time travel- that Jo had never been pregnant, let alone gone through birth. In her time, she and Zane had barely gotten engaged, let alone pregnant. They knew that the pregnancy was new to her, and so let her work things out on her own. Though she had all of the other Jo's memories, she was still a different Jo, deep down. And that was a part of her that would never go away. No one faulted her for saying this was her first child; she hadn't been the one to give birth to Dylan or Brooke, she'd just raised them as she struggled to regain her memories.

Zane gave her a small smile. "And she's beautiful. Like you." Jo sighed, nudging her nose against his.

"Daddy! I know what I wanna do!" The pair turned to their oldest, who rushed over to them, her small hands clean and cold from washing them.

"What's that, Dy?" Zane asked, as he helped Jo sit up. She settled back against the pillows, and Zane wrapped an arm around her waist.

"I want to deliver babies- like Zoe and Auntie Allison." Her parents shared surprised glances.

"Really?" Zane asked.

"Are you sure that's what you wanna do?" Jo asked. Dylan nodded eagerly.

"So Dylan wants to be an obstetrician. You wanna deliver babies, huh?" Kevin asked, going to the little girl and scooping her up. She nodded, before turning to Zane.

"Daddy, when are you and Mommy going to have another one? I want to deliver her!" Zane's eyes widened in shock, and he glanced at Jo, who's mouth had fallen open.

"Um... uh... we... not for a very, very, very long time, Dy." He replied. The child's face fell. "But, I'll tell you what, you can help Mommy and I take care of her. Sound like a plan?" The child nodded. "Good."

"Here she is. Jo, Zane, meet your baby girl." Zoe said, laying the baby- cleaned, weighed and wrapped in a pink blanket- in Jo's arms. "Seven pounds, twelve ounces. Perfectly healthy- and with an... extremely healthy set of lungs, just like her mama." Jo smirked at Zoe, who stuck out her tongue childishly. It was then, that Zane slowly extracted his wrist from Jo's grip, and instantly, Allison worked on fixing it.

"She's so small."

"Why is she so tiny, Mommy?" Dy asked, climbing up onto the bed next to her mom. James gently set Brooke on the bed with her sister, and the two girls leaned close to look at the baby in Jo's arms.

"She's didn't feel tiny, sweetheart. Seven pounds is not tiny. You were not tiny. Brookie was not tiny." Jo turned her gaze back to the baby. "She won't be tiny for long." She whispered.

"Time flies by fast, girls. It did with you." Carter said. Once Zane's hand and wrist were set, he returned to his wife's side. "We all watched you grow, and we'll watch this little one grow too."

"She's perfect, just like you and just like the girls." Zane said, wrapping his arm around Jo and pulling her close. She smiled at him, before turning back to the baby's blue gaze.

"Looks like you're getting your wish after all, Zane." Carter said. "Are you_ sure_ you don't want a son?" The young father shook his head, a grin on his face. Jo laid her head back against his shoulder, cradling the baby gently, watching as her older daughters introduced themselves to their baby sister.

"You_ don't_ _have _brothers, Zane Matthew, the Donovan line _ends_ with you. Will you be okay with that?" Zane raised an eyebrow as Tessa stepped forward.

"Are you trying to _guilt_ me into giving you a grandson, Mom?" He asked. Tessa shrugged, a smile tugging at her lips.

"Maybe. As much as I love my... three... granddaughters... I would love a grandson. One that looks exactly like my boy." Jo chuckled softly, enjoying the flush that covered Zane's cheeks.

"Maybe someday, Mom." Tessa grinned.

"Someday is fine with me. Just as long as you consider it." Jo nodded.

"What's her name?" Zane turned his gaze to Dylan, before glancing at Jo.

"Um... we... don't know. We... couldn't make up our minds." Jo replied, biting her lip. "Do you want to name her?" The girls glanced at each other for a moment, before Brooke whispered,

"Luca." Jo's eyebrows rose in surprise.

"Luca?" The five-year-old nodded.

"For Uncle Luca." Dylan said, biting her lip. "Is that okay?"

"Luca isn't a girl's name, usually." Henry said, as he and Grace moved closer to see the baby in Jo's arms.

"My name isn't either." Dylan pointed out. Zane caught Jo's eye.

"What do you say? We aren't_ exactly_ traditional-"

"And traditions were _made_ to be broken." Jo finished. "It could work." She thought a moment. "Luca...what? She needs a middle name." Zane sighed, thinking.

"Dylan Tessa... Brookelyn Clarissa... we've run out of grandparents..."

"Well think of something, Zane Matthew-"

"I'm working on it, Josefina Charlotte." Moments passed, before,

"Jadie." Her parents turned to her; Dylan sat cuddling Brooke. "For Mommy's friend." The pair shared a glance, before Zane whispered,

"Luca Jadie Donovan. Jade would probably flow better but-" He stopped as Jo wrinkled her nose.

"That's the reason she changed her name in the first place. She hated Jade. She was much more a Jadie." Zane nodded, turning his gaze back to his daughter.

"Luca Jadie Donovan. Sound okay, little one?" The baby gripped his finger, and he gave her a small smile, looking into her eyes. "Luca Jadie it is." He looked up at Jo. "Do you think they'd mind?" She shook her head, tears in her eyes, as she laid their daughter in his arms. She stared into his eyes, seeing everything she'd longed for, since coming to this time-

Here, in this time, all along.

Home, love, family.

"I think they'd be honored."


End file.
